Love or Lust?
by Scarlett Cheri
Summary: This is a Hiei x OC! Yukihime is an innocent ice maiden charged with protecting the Winter's Essence. But when the fire demons razed her village, she is frozen within ice to elude the fire demons. 500 years pass and when she meets Hiei, she is left with a question. Is this Love or Lust? (There are sexually explicit scenes not suitable for minors. You have been warned!)
1. Chapter 1: Tainted by Red

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Yu Yu Hakusho. **

Please bear with me, this is my first time writing a fanfiction! :) Please leave a review and tell me how you liked it (or didn't like it)! Here's a bit of a warning, this series is a bit darker than my usual stories. It has a lot of rape in the beginning, but romance will start to kick in after all the dark stuff. :)

Original characters: Yukihime, Kayan, Ice maidens, Grandma Yue

* * *

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes again, was red. A boy stood in front of me, a boy who appeared to be no older than 15, short in stature with midnight dancing in the strands of his hair. He was all black, except for his red eyes. A phantom rouge that shimmered and whispered of all the evil in my white world. His scarlet eyes gazed down at me, a matching flame atop his hand, melting away the ice that protected me. Suddenly, all the events of last night came rushing back to me.

"_Hurry! Yukihime! You must protect the Winter's Essence at all costs!" Grandma Yue dragged me along by my wrist. Her seared hand left blood marks on my white kimono, blood red that starkly contrasted with the white. It was red again. Everything was tainted red. I turned around taking one last look at the home that I had known all my life as Grandma Yue hastily jerked me away. _

_The ice temple crumbled and shattered, engulfed in hell fire. The screams of my sisters echoed through the mountain top as fire demons slaughtered them. The crunch of my beautiful snow blossoms being trampled under the feet of fire demon soles could be heard from every corner of our supposed impenetrable fortress. Tears fell like snowflakes from my ice blue irises as Grandma Yue's tugging became even more insistent as she reluctantly turned to look at the nightmare that lay behind us. Her eyes widened and quickly she turned away, unable to watch. When she turned to face me again, her eyes held a foreign emotion that I had never seen in my gentle Grandma Yue. It crinkled her kind face and contorted it into something demonic, something evil, like those of the fire demons. Involuntarily, I took a step back, but her now vice-like grip on my wrist dragged me away towards the top of the mountain towards the altar at the peak. _

"_Hurry!" She gasped again. My mind was reeling from everything that had happened. It only seemed like moments ago when I was still kneeling in the Temple in front of the essence pondering what present to give Saya for the Winter's Solstice when the first cries of my sisters echoed through the dawn veil. How could this happen? Why would they destroy our Temple? Why do they want to kill us? WHY?! _

_By the time I realized it, we were already at the peak. The altar stood in front of us, the last remaining relic of our race. Grandma Yue pushed me to the altar. _

"_Yukihime, you must listen to me carefully. We were attacked by fire demons from Kayan's clan. They came for the essence. You must protect it with your life! Do you understand?" Grandma Yue shook me from my stupor numbness, "I will seal you within the altar with crystal ice, they will not be able to touch you then."_

_Crystal ice was an unmeltable ice and nearly indestructible. The only fire that could melt crystal ice was dark fire. But for the cost of using crystal ice was the ice maiden's life. "Grandma Yue! No! You'll die!" I cried as she shoved me forcefully atop the altar. I stumbled and fell to my knee, the Winter's Essence still cradled in my lap. I hadn't realized I'd been holding it the entire time. _

"_There's no other way! Yukihime! You _must _protect the essence! That is the lifeline of all ice maidens. If it were to be destroyed, I do not know what will happen to us all." Grandma Yue clasped her hands together as if in prayer above her heart and smiled one last time, "Remember what I said! Kill the fire demons, Yuki. Kill them all." _

_And with that last wish, Grandma Yue burst before my eyes into a pure white tidal wave of snow. The wave rushed towards the altar and engulfed everything in white. I closed my eyes and the blissful cold cradled me into a deep slumber as if Grandma Yue was holding me still. _

I screamed into the night as the events of yesterday flooded back all at once. Rushing to my feet, I backed away with a feral glare at the fire demon that stood before me, the essence cradled to my chest.

"Stay away! I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!" I roared and threw an outreaching hand towards the abominable fire demon. Ice shards immediately flew towards him, intending on shredding his little body into ribbons, but the fire demon had suddenly disappeared.

I growled and whipped around feverishly. The fire demon had retreated back to his friends who stood just outside of the altar. There were four of them besides the little black one. One was all red from his long hair to his red attire. Another with short black hair green attire. Another with orange hair and blue attire. The last had brown hair and a blue tunic. Their dresses were so unique and unrecognizable that it stopped me momentarily. _The fire demons didn't wear this kind of clothing._

When I paused to look at them further, I realized that I had been mistaken. The only fire demon was the first one. The rest of them were human. _Are humans attacking us too?_ I let out another snarl and sent another wave of ice shards towards the enemy. They all dodged and stood at edge, but did not attack. It puzzled me further. They short black haired one started to yell something, but I did not bother to listen. They were all the enemies. _I must kill all of them!_

Cradling the essence in both hands, I closed my eyes and let the essence enter me. This was forbidden, but I had no choice. I could not win against them. The essence entered me in a cold rush and suddenly, I felt the strength of all that is winter bellowing inside of me like a brewing snow storm. The unbottled surge of power flew from its little container; the snow storm erupted from my body and sliced the air around me. The enemies backed away from me, shielding themselves from the snow.

"You will all die." My voice echoed, and ice began to freeze over the enemies' bodies from their feet up. They started to scream and fight off the cold, but there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Something foreign took grip of me, something hot and I felt my face contort the same way Grandma Yue's did when she saw the village. It was anger. I had never felt this emotion before, but I've only heard of it. It was rage. It was vengeance. And it was then that I realized just how much the fire demons' flames had tainted me that I hesitated in my attack, afraid of what I had become. Of who I had become.

That was all he needed. The fire demon melted the ice that rooted him and dashed towards me. By the time I saw him, it was already too late. The back of his sword came down and I felt a sharp pain at the back of my neck. _No! The essence!..._ I thought frantically as I fell and darkness took me again.

* * *

The second time I awoke, I was in an unknown room of some sort. The cushion underneath me was soft and an equally soft and fluffy fabric covered me. I tried sitting up, but something bound my wrists together so that I could not move them. When I tried moving my leg, I felt the same resistance around my ankle.

"Don't bother moving." A deep voice echoed from the shadows of the room. I immediately turned to the new threat. The same set of deep red eyes glinted back at me. _The fire demon!_ I glared at him, and let my power leak from me, covering the entire room in a blanket of ice. Just as soon as I had covered it, the fire demon let out his own aura of heat and the ice melted instantly, disappearing as fast as it had come. I glared at him again.

"I said don't bother." He said again, walking towards me. I reached into myself to access the essence's power's, but it was then that I realized it was gone.

"The essence! You thief! Give it back!" I screamed, struggling from the binds. Ice seeping from me and freezing the fabric cover and soft cushion underneath me. The fire demon appeared beside me instantly and laid a hand on the center of my chest. I felt the fire sear through the ice and covered me in a blanket of flames. I expected to feel the sharp licking flames cut into my flesh, but strangely it did not burn me. Instead, I was unable to use my powers. He had completely sealed my powers. I struggled against his touch and screamed ferally. Suddenly, the door flew open and the same humans from earlier appeared, but with a new addition. It was a blue haired girl in a similar kimono to the one that ice maidens wore. I felt the same touch of snow within me in her and I knew that she was like me. _But why is she with them?_ I stopped struggling to take in the newcomers, assessing their intentions for capturing me. They had the essence, they did not need me anymore. _Why keep me alive?_

"Oh, she's awake!" The black haired one smiled. His lack of blood lust confused me.

"She's not handling the situation very well is she?" The red haired one noted.

"Well at least she's calmed down now enough for Hiei to be groping her." The black haired one grinned, noting the location of his hand on my chest. I immediately blushed and started struggling from his touch again, the supposed _Hiei_.

"I was not _groping _her." The one named Hiei glared at his comrade, his palm still pressed against my chest. I felt his palm tense when I moved as he pushed down again. We were both suddenly very aware that his hand was somewhere where no man had even laid eyes on, let alone touch.

"Right, right. Say whatever you want. I'd be happy to be where you are though." The black haired one smirked playfully.

"One more word out of you and I'll slit your throat." Hiei threatened. His friend just grinned stupidly.

The red haired human approached me slowly with a gentle smile, "We won't hurt you, don't worry. My name is Kurama, this idiot is Yusuke," he pointed to the black haired one, "This is Kuwabara and Hiei," he pointed to the orange haired one, then the fire demon that pinned me down still.

Lastly, he gestured towards the blue haired girl that had remained silent the entire time with a worried expression on her face, "This is Yukina. I think you already realize that she's like you, an ice demon."

"We're sorry for the rough welcome yesterday, but you weren't in the mood to listen." The red haired Kurama smiled sheepishly.

They did not look like they meant me harm, but the essence was still gone. And there was a _fire demon. _"Let me go," I said coldly.

"Hiei will let go and we'll untie you, but you have to promise to listen to us first." Kurama said again, smiling easily as if he were anyone's best friend. I contemplated for a moment and bit back the urge to run at the first chance I got, but then nodded once gingerly. I had to get the essence back anyway.

Kurama smiled and nodded once to Hiei, who withdrew his palm from my chest. They sliced the ropes and the ice maiden Yukina came forward, "They said you'd listen more if someone of your clan told you instead."

I was silent as I backed against the wall, leaning back for support and distance. I still didn't trust her, she was with fire demons.

She took the silence as a go-ahead and started explaining, "I think you still think the fire demons attacked recently, but it's already been 500 years. I'm a descendant from your clan." She smiled softly.

I blanked out. _500 years? There's no way!... It was only yesterday...Grandma Yue and the others...Saya's present...the fire demons. There's no way! _"There's no way…" I let out stunned.

"I know it's hard for you to take in, but it's the truth. Alot has changed since then. You were frozen in a block of crystal ice and Hiei is the one that saved you." Yukina said easily, she continued, "We heard from Koenma that there was an artifact called the Winter's Essence that a fire demon called Kayan is looking for. _**How could this happen? **_He wanted to destroy it and it would probably kill all the ice demons so Koenma ordered us to find it before Kayan does and protect it." _**How could this happen? 500 years...**_

She kept talking as if she were reciting a history lesson, "Oh, Kayan is the fire demon that attacked the ice demons 500 years ago _**This can't be possible. **_and killed almost every last ice demon, _**It's a dream. A nightmare. It's all just a nightmare. **_but the ones that escaped are the ancestors of my village elders. _**Just a nightmare...**_Oh, Koenma is the prince of the Spirit World and- _**Grandma Yue...**_

I never heard the end of her lecture as I collapsed onto the soft cushion beneath me. The last thing I remember was a scorching hot hand catching me right before I hit the wooden post of the bed.


	2. Chapter 2: Lust

Chapter 2: Lust

* * *

When I awoke again, the room was dark and empty except for the fire demon that sat on the window sill looking out over the foreign world of 500 years into the future. He heard something, and turned to steady his gaze on me. I struggled to sit up and finally steadied myself propped up against the wall.

"You have a fever. It's best if you rest." Hiei said coldly. _For a fire demon, he sure could freeze the world with his voice..._I noted to myself bemusingly.

_Are you mocking me?_ The same cold voice echoed in my head. I immediately turned to the fire demon.

"Stop reading my thoughts." I glared. _Didn't know fire demons can read minds…_

"They can't. My jagan is what allows me to do that." He pointed to his bandaged forehead. A glowing third eye shone through the white fabric.

"I _told_ you to stop reading my mind." I glowered.

He didn't respond, only continued to stare at me. I felt his mind withdraw from my head and knew I was alone to my thoughts again, but just in case, I tried not to think about anything. After a few minutes, I ignored his penetrating gaze and my thoughts wandered to what the ice maiden said yesterday.

_If what she says is true, then Grandma Yue...and all of them...are long dead. How could this happen? How did fire demons manage to get into the inner peaks of our mountain. They shouldn't be able to. And the essence...they have it. I still don't know if they're telling the truth or not. I don't know where they keep the essence though. I can only get close to them and find out that way...But what if they're in league with the fire demon? Then they'd kill me. Me alive is the only proof that they're not with Kayan. But this fire demon...He doesn't seem like the ones that killed my sisters...They're all the same. Grandma Yue said so. Kill all of them. I must not let someone like him move me from-_

His face inches from mine snapped me out from my thoughts. My eyes widened in shock as I finally registered that Hiei had moved to the bed without me knowing it. My breath caught in my throat as I looked into his scarlet eyes. His eyes and his body was very male and foreign to me. He awoke something in me that I had not known existed. It was something only a women could feel for a man. Something very hot that aroused me in a way I had not known was possible. A weird surge of _something_ coursed through me towards the lower half of my body past the stomach and to my hips. I felt my insides clench and a hot blush clouded my cheeks. It was so foreign to me that I was momentarily stunned at the sheer _need_ that I felt at that second.

"What are you thinking about?" Hiei asked, curiosity peaking out from his cold reserve. I still couldn't find the breath to reply. I could only look into his captivating scarlet eyes that both instilled fear and that strange feeling within me. His eyes that I could seem to drown in could easily engulf me in flames at any given second and yet I was feeling like _this_.

I felt him finally give up in frustration and resorted to probing my mind. Frantically, I scrambled to collect my thoughts and clear my head of whatever nonsense that had recently crossed my mind. It seemed that the harder I tried to shove them away, the harder they seemed to shove back. And in the end, when his mind first entered mine, everything came rushing out. Everything I did not want him to know.

His face was blank as he took in everything. I blushed crimson and tried pushing him away from me as if distance would cut off his mental hold on me, but he slammed a hand against the wall, cornering me. I pressed myself into the wall further, looking away like a scared animal. Something in my lower abdomen clenched again.

The next thing I knew, his lips crashed into mine and he pressed his body onto me, pushing me down onto the soft folds of the cushion. His tongue invaded my mouth and flicked across my lips, tasting me. I felt him touch parts of me that had not been touched by any other. His hands explored and kneaded me in places that I had not known existed. It brought a rush of unexplainable pleasure and thrill. A small moan escaped from my lips and he ate it like he was tasting the sweetest snow pear in all three worlds. His hands found the opening of my kimono and he ripped it open in one swift jerk, baring my nude body for all of him.

I had succumbed to his force, but the sudden realization of what he was about to do brought my sanity rearing back at full force. I let out a whimpered cry and tried to push his unmoving hands away. Tears instantly brimmed and fell like snowflakes, turning into black diamonds that pooled the bed with every drop.

"Please!...Don't!" I cried, still pushing at his hands. They wouldn't budge, but they had stopped ravaging me. I looked up towards the scarlet eyes. I still couldn't make anything of his expression, but it wasn't overridden by need anymore. I felt his mind enter my own again. Whatever he saw or heard, he dropped his hands and disappeared from the room instantly, leaving me breathless and alone in the little dark room.

* * *

For the next few days, I didn't see Hiei. According to Kurama, he left saying he had something of utter importance to attend to and left without another word. He hadn't said where he was going or why. They haven't heard from him since. The humans generally left me alone to my own devices after they figured that I wouldn't try to kill them anymore. Koenma brought me to the palace vaults and showed me the Winter's Essence safely stored away. Now that I knew that the essence was safe, as the shrine maiden that dedicated her life to protecting the essence I was left without a purpose. For now, I was learning the ways of the new world and adapting to the humans. Yukina had offered to take me back to the ice village, but something stopped me. Something was eating away at me and for the life of me, I couldn't understand what. I just knew that I had to stay.

It has been a month since Hiei disappeared and still no one knew where he was. It was around that time that I allowed my thoughts to wander back to that night of taboo when I succumbed to him. The idea was so preposterous and utterly against everything that I had been taught as a shrine maiden of the ice maiden's village that every time I wandered about it, my cheeks immediately erupted in crimson. _Just what was I thinking anyway?_ But that was exactly it. I _hadn't _been thinking. I had allowed my body to do what it wanted to do and my brain had shut down. It wasn't like me at all. But even more, I hadn't known that my body wanted a..._man._

By the time the second month rolled on by, the mere thoughts of that night brought a strange heat to my body. I craved the touch of a man and the need to be with one, _bed _one, soon filled my thoughts at almost every opportunity. It was then that Kurama knocked on my door one day.

"Can I come in?" Kurama asked from the other side of the door.

I had been getting ready to retire for the night, so I quickly draped a thin silk night gown over my body and secured it with a matching sash. Rushing to the door, I opened it to find not Kurama but a silver-haired boy with silver fox ears and tail attached.

"Who-

He immediately rushed me and pinned me against the wall of my room, kicking the door shut quietly behind us. One clawed hand gripped both of my wrists above my head against the wall, the other went to the sash at my waist.

"Who are you?" I asked, suddenly very aware that I was completely nude under the nightgown.

The fox ignored me. He tugged slowly at my sash until it fell apart and my gown parted to reveal the cleavaged mounds of my breasts. The fabric of the silk gown was taut where my nipples stood hard and eager. Even though I was being touched by a stranger, my body that had simulated Hiei's hands touching me everywhere again and again throughout the countless nights responded to the fox's touch. A sharp clawed nail grazed my naked breast, trailing down past my stomach and hips and headed between my legs. It paused just short of my aching core, dancing along my thighs, taunting me.

"St-stop!" I managed to croak out. Even to me, it didn't sound like I meant it.

The fox smirked, "Do you really want me to stop?" His finger grazed my aching center and that sent an involuntary spasm through me. My body bucked and strained against his grip, my mouth hanging open while my entire body shook uncontrollably. _What just happened?_

His smirk only widened, "Wow, I barely touched it and you already came."

I still couldn't fit words through my mouth. I was barely able to catch breath. _Just what is going on with me? What just happened? I...came? What does that mean?! _My mind was still reeling when a single finger slipped through my soaking folds and entered me unannounced.

With a jolt, I screamed into the night. The fox's lips crashed against mine to silence me, but it was already too late. He tsked as Yusuke and Kuwabara rushed towards my room.

With a final smirk, he leaned in next to my ear and whispered, "Another night, my little kitten, I'm not done with you just _yet._" And with that, the silver haired fox demon disappeared through the open window. With his grip gone, my knees gave in and I collapsed onto the wooden floor in a heap, barely staying upright with a lot of help from the wall. My door burst open as Yusuke and Kuwabara appeared in the doorway. They took one look at my opened night gown and tear stricken face and turned to kill the intruder.

"Where is he?!" Yusuke growled, searching my room.

"He-He's gone…" I sniffled, tugging close my gown as fast as I could. I caught Kuwabara's glance lingering a second too long on my bare thighs.

"Who dares try to attack Yuki?!" Kuwabara screamed heroically after recovering from his little indecency.

"It was a fox. A fox demon." I mumbled as Yusuke hoisted me from the floor to my bed, throwing a cover over the thin nightgown. At the mention of a fox, they both froze. They knew something.

"You said a fox demon? What did he look like?" Yusuke asked carefully.

"He had silver hair." I replied, taking in Yusuke's face. It was blank.

"Silver hair? Isn't that-

Kuwabara was cut off abruptly by a small kick from Yusuke. He meant to hide it within the shadows of the dark room, but my eyes were long adjusted to the darkness.

"Do you know him?" I asked tentatively.

"Nope." Yusuke grinned suspiciously, "But we'll definitely be on the look-out. We'll go patrol a bit outside to see if he left any tracks. Just yell if he comes back again." With that, Yusuke dragged Kuwabara out the door with him. There was definitely something they weren't telling me.

For the moment though, I decided against pursuing the issue further. There was another problem I had to deal with. I fell back onto the soft bed and undid the sash. My hands trailed the places where the fox demon had touched. It still burned where his fingers had grazed. Reaching further down, I recalled the place he had last touched, where his finger had...Blush blossomed across my cheeks. _How dare he! That's where my…_ I couldn't bring myself to finish the thought.

That night, I bit down on my cries as I relived the nights when Hiei and the mysterious silver fox both forced themselves upon me. Again and again, I replayed the scenes until my body shook and convulsed and the scent of fresh sex drifted through the room.


	3. Chapter 3: Confliction

The next morning, I headed towards the kitchen where Kurama was making his signature breakfast pancakes when I heard the cluttering of pans as if someone fell into them. I ran quickly towards the new threat, hoping a surprise attack might apprehend the intruder. Somewhere inside of me, I had hoped it was the fox again. But when I turned the corner, instead of a fox, I saw Yusuke pinning Kurama against the wall. I stopped to listen.

"What did you do last night?" Yusuke glowered in a quiet but angry voice.

"I was out on a walk." Kurama replied dejectedly.

"Bullshit!" Yusuke shoved Kurama against the wall again, jerking his entire body, "You let out Youko and attacked Yuki didn't you?" Kurama was silent, not willing to look Yusuke in the eye. I gasped, but quickly covered it with my hand. _It was Kurama?_

"Didn't you?!" Yusuke growled, shoving him again.

"I couldn't stop him." Kurama finally spoke, "Before I knew it, Youko had taken over. I couldn't stop him."

"You couldn't stop?! That's _Yuki_ that you just tried to rape!" Yusuke yelled, unable to keep his voice down any longer.

"Youko has more control over my body than I had expected, okay? I didn't know he would rape her. I still don't know why…" Kurama pushed Yusuke's hand away from his shirt.

"What am I supposed to tell Yuki huh?! That my friend just tried to rape her?!" Yusuke punched the wall next to Kurama, leaving a large hole in its place.

Kurama finally lost it, "I don't know either alright?! I don't know what Youko wants with Yuki and I don't know how to-

Suddenly, Kurama's body fell limp and he collapsed onto his knee. Yusuke reached to help, but stopped when the fox demon appeared in a burst of smoke from Kurama's body. He stood stunned while the fox demon rose.

"Hello Yusuke. It's been awhile." The silver fox smirked, lounging easily against the kitchen counter.

"Youko! You bastard! Give Kurama's body back _now!_" Yusuke sent out a punch, but it was easily side stepped.

"Now, now. I'm just here to answer your questions." The silver fox demon, Youko's smirk widened, "It was her scent."

"Her _scent_?" Yusuke snarled.

"She has the scent of a demon in heat. I merely replied to her _call_ so to speak." Youko reached for one of the pancakes that sat coldly on the dish.

"What nonsense are you blabbering about now?" Yusuke glared.

"Humans wouldn't understand." Youko grinned easily, "You see, demons are more like beasts than humans really. The female gives off a special pheromone scent that attracts other male demons when she is ripe. I heard ice maidens went through a ceremony to permanently stop this, in effect making them barren. But ice maidens reproduce without a male, so it's nothing surprising."

"Then why would Yuki give off the scent?" Yusuke questioned.

"Are you really that dumb?" Youko tsked condescendingly, "She was very young when she was trapped in the ice. She was probably not ripe yet. But after 500 years in the ice, her body is bound to have _matured_." Youko accentuated the last word as if licking it from a naked body.

"Of course, she never went through with the ritual because her entire village was slaughtered so…" Youko continued, "we are in this little predicament."

"So what, you're saying you raped her 'cuz you smelled her _pheromones_ or whatever?" Yusuke argued.

"Humans just don't get it." Youko sighed, "We can't help it, dearie. It's a demon's instinct to have the female. Especially an ice maiden. Their pheromones are said to be the most potent and used as a rare aphrodisiac. She's literally..._irresistible_."

Youko licked his lips, "And speaking of scent, I smell a curious little kitten." Youko smirked. He instantly appeared in front of me where I hid and pulled me from the corner into view. Yusuke was stunned. I let out a surprised yelp.

"Yuki!" Yusuke started toward Youko, but stopped when Youko's hand closed around my throat.

"Don't move, detective." Youko smiled. My hands clawed at his, but it would not move. I was really tired of being thrown around like a little doll! I placed both hands on his and his flesh began to freeze. He jolted momentarily retracting his hand, but I was still too slow to run. He hit the back of my neck and caught me as I fell. The last thing I remember was Youko's smirk and his sensual voice whispering into my ear, "Nice try, kitten," before darkness engulfed me again.

* * *

I woke slowly in bits and pieces, my hearing the first to come back. I heard the rustling of bed sheets before I felt warm flesh press against me. Sight was the last to come, and by the time I opened my eyes, Youko's silver splash of hair was the first thing I saw. He turned his gaze to me, moving his hair that had fallen on my face. He was nude from head to toe, and only the loose gathering of the bed sheets covered his manhood. I immediately jerked away, but he reached a free hand and tucked me back by his side. He was propped on one elbow above my head and smiled down to me easily. His other hand now played with the sheets that barely covered my mounds. I tugged on them quickly to cover what I could. He chuckled as if he found my embarrassment amusing. It probably was.

"Where am I?" I asked, trying again to move away. His hand held me down again. I really couldn't move.

"It's a house I used to live in when I was always a demon." Youko replied. His tail flicked, batting away in an almost rhythmic beat.

"Why did you bring me here?" I gave up trying to escape and settled with glaring at him again.

He laughed, "No need to be so cautious. I don't like force. I'd prefer it if you came to me yourself."

"Never." I vehemeted.

"You don't know that, kitten. It seemed to me like you enjoyed it plenty last night." Youko smirked, "I could smell the sex that permeated from your room the next morning. It was even sweeter than when I touched you." Youko's hand slid down the covers towards where my legs lay half-parted. I pulled them together quickly, but his fingers could still reach the crevice between them, that delicate bump that sends electrifying sparks throughout my body whenever I touch it.

"Stop it!" I pushed his hand away, but in the same gesture, I accidentally spilled the covers down my chest, revealing my mounds to him. He was upon them instantly, sucking on them and flicking his tongue over my hardness. I pushed at his head and whimpered out from under him, but he held my body immobile while he had his way, feasting on them like they were his last supper. By the time he was done, I was breathless, motionless underneath him aside from my labored breaths that rocked my chest.

He licked his lips, "I really can't wait to have you, kitten." He growled, his voice deepening with need. I felt his now erect member graze my opening, teasing along my folds, rubbing them on me like he was marking his territory. I no longer had the will to resist. My entire body burned like it was on fire. I could no longer remember what it felt like to be cold. Everything was so hot. My breaths came out in clouds. The windows fogged over from our sex and Youko reached down to my opening. He pushed his fingers in and I came screaming again just from his fingers entering me. When I was done convulsing, he started fingering me slowly at first, but quickened his pace with every insert. All the while, he watched me whimper and cry out underneath him with a smile, eating my moans with occasional kisses. My body burned with desire, but I knew that it was a simple need, just like eating and breathing. That was what I kept telling myself when the door flew off its hinges and crashed against the opposite wall.

A pair of familiar scarlet eyes flashed and was instantly behind Youko. Youko was thrown away from me out of the window with a crash. Hiei looked down at my naked bareness before him. A flash of disappointment and hurt crossed his face, but was instantly crushed. He bundled me up with the sheets gingerly and picked me up. In an instant, we were out the door and flying through the night. I barely remembered the forest as we passed it all in a whirlwind. I could only remember Hiei's face when I reached up and pressed my lips to his. He instantly stopped running, stopping dead in his tracks, stunned from what I had done. When I pulled away, I saw only hurt on his face that he could not hide in time. He threw me to the ground and glared down at me.

"Don't _ever_ touch me again, woman." Hiei threatened coldly. I had fallen to the ground in a haphazard heap of sheets.

"Hiei…" I reached out for his hand, but he pulled away out of reach.

"Don't speak to me again." He said, ice dripping from each word. He turned away and disappeared into the night, leaving me alone to wander what I had done to anger Hiei.

I got up quickly to chase after him with the sheets bundled around me, but just when I took my first step towards Hiei's direction, a hand came from behind me and muffled my screams. A second later, a sharp needle jabbed into my arm and I felt the lull of the drug pull me under.


	4. Chapter 4: Abduction

I awoke nude hanging by my hands and feet dangling. A cloth was tied around my mouth to gag me. The room was a cavern of some sort, dimly lit by torches. Before me was a large throne-like chair surrounded by fire demons everywhere. And on the throne sat a large fire demon with arms the size of my head.

"You're awake." The leader smirked. I could only glare at him, but my body was so battered and strained from being hung that I could barely struggle.

"Oh yes, ungag her." He said, and one of the fire demons that stood on guard next to me moved to untie the cloth.

"Who are you?" I struggled to put together the words.

"I'm disappointed." He tsked, "You don't even recognize the face of the man that murdered your sisters?" My eyes widened. I struggled against the binds even though my limbs were on the verge of breaking.

"Kayan!" I snarled, suddenly reenergized, "I'm going to kill you!" I squeezed what little power I had left out of me and sent ice shards hurtling towards him. He did not even move, but the ice shards instantly vaporized into smoke.

"Oh, you finally remembered." Kayan smirked, walking towards me. I struggled against the binds, but they were ungiving and I was left to glower at him again.

"I like those eyes." Kayan grazed a hand on my cheek. I jerked away from his touch. He was not pleased. His hand struck out so fast that I could not react. It hit my face where he had grazed it earlier with a sharp stinging slap.

"I'm going to ask you a question, and you're going to answer. Is that clear?" He yanked my hair back and I yelped in pain.

"Where is the essence?" He whispered in my ear. I bit down on my lip, holding back the cry that was on the edge of my tongue. He repeated his question, this time yanking my hair back even further. I cried out again, but kept silent. _I'll never tell him where it is._

"It seems like you'll need training." Kayan whispered dangerously. He walked over to one of his guards that stood with a tray full of equipment. He picked up a whip and stalked back to me smiling.

"This is how it will go. I will ask you a question, and you will answer. I will tell you to do something, and you'll do it. If you don't, you get punished." Kayan smirked, "We'll see how long you'll last." He drew back the whip and brought it down with a sharp crack. Pain instantly blossomed across my chest as I let out a scream. I felt liquid drip from my body and knew he had drawn blood. The whip came down again on my back and then on my side. I could not help but scream each time.

"Now, again. Where is the essence?" Kayan repeated. I stayed silent, resigning to my fate. The whip came down again.

"Let's try another one. Who is the fire demon that left you in the forest?" Kayan licked along one of the whip lashes that trailed over my breast, lapping up the blood.

I could barely breathe, but I found breath to answer this one, "Over...my dead body." I laughed, my eyelids getting heavier and heavier as my body slowly rejected the pain.

"That's not the answer I'm looking for." Kayan frowned, and the crack of the whip echoed again.

Blood dripped down from numerous lashes and plastered my skin in blood. I could no longer feel the pain of the whip anymore and Kayan could no longer bring screams from my lips. I hung on the verge of consciousness and death.

"My Lord. If you continue, she will die from blood loss." One of his guards finally spoke, noting the puddle of blood beneath me.

"Yes, that will be quite disappointing. She is still unyielding." Kayan pondered.

"Allow me, My Lord. I believe I know just how to tame her." The guard said.

"Do you now, Kuuga?" Kayan smirked, thinking, "Yes, I believe your methods just might work."

"She is all yours." Kayan smiled, and retreated from the room. His subjects followed him like the loyal dogs that they were and I was left alone with the one called Kuuga. He stood in front of me, studying me as if I were a contraption he was trying to figure out.

"No matter," I struggled to speak, "what you do, I will _not_, tell you."

He was not as easily entertained as his master. He neither smiled nor took joy in what he did. It was as if he was separated from what he was doing. It was unnerving to watch. He released the chains that held me up and I fell to the ground in the puddle of my own blood. I instantly passed out from the pain of the fall ripping at all the lashes.

* * *

The next few days, I felt consciousness elude me every now and then, coming into and out of the world like I was passing along a long passageway with windows to reality every now and then. I would get glimpses of the room where I was bound in, or flashes of people as they moved me.

Eventually, I awoke and found that I was bound by my wrists again, but floating in warm water. Looking around gingerly, I realized I was in the middle of a hot spring and the rope was bound to a pole that stood in the center of the spring. Kuuga was the only person around. He sat leaning against a rock near the edges with his eyes closed. I rushed to the pole to see if I could untie the rope.

"Don't bother." Kuuga said from behind. I swiveled around, ready to attack.

"You should be grateful that I brought you to a healing spring. Now stop moving so the spring can do its work." Kuuga continued without even opening his eyes.

"Why did you heal me?" I snarled at him. His eyelids flickered open and he watched me silently.

He was quiet for so long I did not think he would respond, "It was a waste."

"What was a waste?" I probed.

"You." He replied, and closed his eyes again to rest.

"What do you mean?" I asked again. He was silent. I repeated my question. He ignored me still. Angry, I tugged on the rope and stalked over to him. The rope was just long enough for me to growl at him from inches away. He finally opened his eyes. When he saw that I was inches from him, his eyes narrowed. He grabbed my wrists and jerked me against the rock that he had leaned on. The rope came loose on one end and he used it like a leash, yanking my arms above my head again. He bit harshly down on my nipple and caused me to moan from pain and pleasure.

"Do not, _ever_, provoke me again." He warned, and threw me into the water again away from him. Just when I finally found a footing again to stand, he yanked the rope and I fell towards him again. He caught me by the neck and squeezed, pulling me closer.

"I am _much_ scarier than Lord Kayan will ever be. Never forget that." Kuuga hissed, "You _will_ succumb to me." He dragged me by the arm away from the hot spring and into a bedroom much like the one at Koenma had provided me. He threw me onto the bed. His servants came immediately to wait on him.

"Give me the drug." Kuuga walked towards me. I felt fear that even Kayan could not instill. Kayan could only bring physical pain, but Kuuga felt much crueller.

He tied the rope to the bedpost and forcefully pried my legs apart, tying them each to other bedposts so that I lay spread open before him. By then, tears were streaming down my cheeks as I cursed Kuuga with all my might.

The servant arrived with a syringe and Kuuga took it it gingerly between his fingers. I cried and struggled, fearing what was in that syringe, but Kuuga took no heed and injected the contents into my arm.

My body immediately fell limp from my arm to the rest of my body, but I was fully conscious. "What did you do to me…?" I forced out.

"You'll see." Was his only reply as he left me with the drug slowly taking effect. When he finally came back, I saw in his hand a tripod with a video camera and suddenly, I knew what he was going to do.

"You can't!..." I groaned, straining against my bindings.

"Then you'll tell me where the essence is." Kuuga said pausing his set-up, waiting for me to yield. I bit back my cry and fell silent. That was answer enough for Kuuga. He continued to set up the camera. When he was done, his servant came forward with a tray of different devices. Kuuga picked one and turned to me so I could see what it was. I gasped a sharp intake of breath and tried to struggle, but the drug was completely in control now. It was an aphrodisiac. My body was scorching with need. My eyes were unfocused and my breath rapid and frantic. My mind no longer thought of anything except sex. I wanted the large rod that Kuuga held in his hand. I wanted it inside of me. I wanted it to break me and enter me. I wanted Kuuga, I wanted his hands, his lips, his fingers to take my body and quench my thirst. I wanted him to cool my fire. I moaned from the thought of him.

Kuuga turned to the camera then, both with the rod and me in perfect view, "Enjoy the video of the ice maiden. If you want her back, bring the Winter's Essence to Nightfall Castle. If you don't...well, she'll be having a lot more fun with my friends."

Kuuga finally turned to me and I cried out in need. He rubbed the tip against my soaking opening, teasing me.

"Please, please, please, please!" I moaned, begging for him.

"Good, the drug's finally taking effect." Kuuga suddenly shoved the entire rod deep into me. The pain was instantly covered by pleasure and I screamed in ecstasy as I came in front of the camera by Kuuga's rod. He pumped the rod in and out of me forcefully, and with each thrust, I cried out for him, my hands grasping air as my body clenched and convulsed, bucking to the rocking of his thrusts.

"How does it feel? To have your virginity taken this way?" Kuuga asked with a smirk.

"It feels," I moaned, "good! So good! Oh god! Please! More!" Kuuga finally smiled, and he suddenly stopped thrusting, pulling the rod out of me. I let out a whimper and shook my hips at Kuuga.

"Please Kuuga, please!" I moaned, begging him.

"Then beg." Kuuga smirked.

"Please give it to me..." I whimpered.

"Give what to you?" Kuuga laughed.

"Please give me a big cock..." I mumbled.

"I can't hear you!" Kuuga sneered.

"Please give me a big cock!" I cried loudly.

"Good, very good." Kuuga stripped and pressed his hard pulsating member against my raw, beaten womanhood.

"Now, for a good girl, I'll give you an antidote." Kuuga smirked. He took another syringe and aimed it at my arm again. He entered me the same moment the syringe did and started pumping into me. The antidote surged from my body and immediately chased back the lust. I was suddenly in my head again and very aware of what I had just done. I choked on my tears and screamed in pain that only Kuuga could inflict.

"No! Stop! Please no!" I cried again and again, but Kuuga kept pumping his large member. I struggled against the ropes until my wrists were raw and bloody, but Kuuga kept thrusting away. Helplessly, I screamed out the only name that came to mind, "Hiei!"

Kuuga leered at me, "Is that your boyfriend? I wonder what he'd think after seeing this!" He forced his lips on mine and I bit his lip as hard as I could. He broke away glaring down at me.

"You bitch!" He grabbed me by my neck and squeezed, all the while quickening his pace between my legs. Slowly he choked the life out of me until finally he released his seed within me. He let go of my neck and I fell back to the bed, unable to move anymore.

Helpless tears streamed down my cheeks to clutter down onto the bed that was covered in black diamonds. Kuuga smirked and grabbed a fistful of my hair. He lifted my face up so that the camera could see my face.

"She will get this everyday until you bring the essence." Kuuga smirked, and with that, the camera was cut off.


	5. Chapter 5: Defeat

Hiei, Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara were all called into Koenma's office. Yusuke was still yelling at Kurama for kidnapping Yuki while Kurama was trying to explain that he did not know where she was. Hiei silently stood against the opposite wall ignoring their argument. He had left her in the forest around Koenma's house that she was staying at. There was no way she couldn't find her way back. If she wasn't back, then the only explanation was that she had left herself. He had regretted being so harsh to her, especially after realizing that she had left, but his hurt pride hadn't allowed him to go look for her.

Koenma rushed into the office with the blue haired ferry woman Botan, "Quiet! Listen! Yuki has been kidnapped!"

"We _know _that already! And the culprit is this damn fox!" Yusuke jabbed a finger at Kurama.

"I told you I don't know where Youko took her!" Kurama argued.

"Well then call him out so I can wring it out of him myself!" Yusuke yelled, cracking his knuckles.

"Will you two be QUIET?!" Koenma screamed. They were instantly silent.

"We received _this_ video earlier today." Koenma explained, and pushed the tape into the video player. A naked and bound Yuki suddenly came to view. Hiei took a step forward, unable to believe his eyes. They all watched the video in silence. When Yuki cried out Hiei's name, Hiei felt a deep stabbing pain in his chest and an insatiable rage roared to life.

"Where is the Nightfall Castle?" Hiei asked, ignoring all of their bickering.

"Hiei, you're not listening. Nightfall Castle is the fire demon's _base_. You can't just-

Hiei interrupted Koenma's prattling, "Where is Nightfall Castle?" He asked again.

Koenma sighed, knowing that Hiei would not remain still in the condition that he was in. It was a miscalculation on Koenma's part. He had not known that Hiei would be so deeply connected to Yuki. And neither did he realize, another demon was in the same situation.

Kurama shook and suddenly, his human form disappeared. Youko came with a snarl, "How _dare_ they do this to Yuki!"

Yusuke immediately started yelling at him, "Isn't it _your _fault in the first place? You're the one who kidnapped her! How'd she end up with Kayan?!"

Youko growled back, "I didn't have anything to do with Kayan. Hiei took her from me and I have not seen her since." Everyone's eyes turned to Hiei.

Yusuke grabbed his shirt, "What did you do, Hiei?!" Hiei was silent, but the rage had changed to guilt.

"Did you hand her over to Kayan, you bastard?!" Yusuke screamed.

Hiei slapped Yusuke's hand away from his shirt, "No."

"Then how'd she end up with Kayan?!" Yusuke cursed.

"I left her in the forest." Hiei finally admitted.

"You left her?!" Botan cut in, "How could you leave a girl alone in a forest all by herself?!"

"Enough with this! I don't have time to argue with you guys. I am going to Nightfall Castle." Hiei said and stalked out the door.

"I am going with Hiei. I, too, had a part in her capture." Youko said and disappeared after Hiei.

Yusuke let out a long scream, "AH! DAMN IT ALL!" He ran after them.

Kuwabara was left with Koenma and Botan, "I can't leave a friend there like that so I'm going too, but if you seriously have a secret weapon or trump card, Koenma, now is the time to use it!" Kuwabara called as he sprinted after the rest of them.

Botan looked to Koenma, "What are we going to do?"

"We can't give them the essence." Koenma said.

"But if we don't, then they'll all die!" Botan cried.

"I know! Let me think!" Koenma cradled his head in his hands, "There has _got _to be a way!"

* * *

Kuuga had me dangling again in front of Kayan just like the first time I saw him, "My Lord, I suspect there will be company tonight."

"Oh? Then they will bring me the essence?" Kayan pondered.

"Most likely not, but they will know the location of the essence. And if these people care enough for her to come rescue her here, then they _will_ talk when we threaten them with her life." Kuuga bowed.

Kayan howled in laughter, "Yes, you always know just how to make them talk."

"Tell me, has the woman been tamed?" Kayan smirked.

Kuuga's smile faltered, "She is proving to be difficult…"

Kayan let out another bark of laughter, "Even the terrifying slave trainer Kuuga could not break her? What a woman!"

"I believe she can be tamed tonight, My Lord." Kuuga bowed, "Last night, she screamed the name of her lover."

"Well then, I look forward to seeing your work." Kayan smirked.

"Yes, My Lord." Kuuga bowed again.

"Now then." Kayan circled me, appraising my body.

"Ice maidens are so _alluring_. I kind of regret killing them all off now." Kayan thought aloud, "Should have made them all into concubines or _sold them_ or something." He sighed. I only glared at him.

He buried his nose into the side of my neck, inhaling one long breath, "Ah, the scent. So irresistible."

"You're _disgusting._" I growled at him. He pulled away with an easy laugh.

"Oh, you've seen nothing yet." Kayan promised dangerously, "Shall we put on a show tonight?"

I hung from the rope dripping in blood again. They had injected the same drug into me again and my body danced a thin line between pleasure and pain as Kayan whipped me until I was raw and beaten. He left me to his men with only the order that none could enter me, so they played with me in other places. Some enjoyed pure sex as they played with my mounds and teased my entrance. Others ran towards sadism and they inflicted even more pain unto me.

The mind was struggling against the drug, holding it off as far as I could. My only talisman was Hiei's name that I repeated under my breath to chase away the insatiable lust. My body succumbed to the torture, my mind retreating into my own head. _This is all just a dream_. I told myself. _Hiei…_

When I finally was able to push away the drug's effect on my head, I could only pray that Hiei and the others do not come. _They're using me as bait! Hiei will die if he comes here!_ _I can't let them win!_ _Come on, Yuki! Think! Think! Think!_

* * *

When Hiei, Youko, Yusuke, and Kuwabara burst open the door to the throne room, I was still dangling from the rope surrounded by Kayan's men and my own blood. "_NO!_ Why did you come?!" I anguished. I still had not found a way to get us all out of here alive without handing over the essence. And even if had, I really doubted Kayan would let us go anyway.

Hiei and Youko both snarled at the scene before them. Hiei could barely keep himself from dashing forward and butchering all of them into raw meat. The same could be said for Youko. They shook from pure rage and blood lust.

"YUKI!" Yusuke growled at Kayan's men, "LET HER GO!"

"The essence?" Kayan stood from his throne.

"Give us Yuki first!" Youko hissed.

"I don't think you're in any position to negotiate." Kayan laughed, "Now, the essence."

"You'll get your essence!" Yusuke scowled.

"Will I now? If I don't get the essence, you know what I promised yes?" Kayan smirked, stalking up to me. His men backed away, leaving me alone with their leader. Kayan turned to Hiei and Youko, watching them as his hands rose to fondle my breasts. I bit back a moan that threatened to escape thanks to the drug that still circulated my system. He hadn't quite gotten the reaction he had wanted. Kayan's finger flittered down to my beaten opening and instantly wormed their way in. My body bucked from the pleasure, but I was still silent.

"Oh? This woman actually resists the drug. She never seizes to amaze me." Kayan laughed.

"_Don't you dare touch her again_." Hiei warned darkly.

"And how are you going to stop me?" Kayan smirked as he undid his belt to reveal a very large erection. It was almost twice times the thickness of a normal member. My eyes widened at the sight and I let out a whimper.

"Please...don't…" I cried, black diamonds falling from my cheeks to splatter into the blood pool underneath me.

He readied himself behind me with a smirk, grabbing my hips for a better angle.

"No!" I screamed, struggling against his unyielding hold on me.

Just when he was about to push in, Hiei could no longer hold back. He dashed forward with his blade undrawn, instantly cutting through an entire wave of Kayan's men. Youko followed suit right behind him with his rose whip cracking through the fire demons. Yusuke and Kuwabara could only run after them.

Kayan howled in laughter, then shoved his entirety within me. My scream came out in a long shriek. Hiei and Youko immediately turned to me, momentarily distracted. This was all the fire demons needed to surround the four with spears pointed to the center.

Hiei cursed and ripped off the bandages on his right arm to reveal a dark swirling dragon tattoo. Kuuga decided that moment to step next to me with a blade leveled to my neck.

"Another move and your precious woman's head falls." Kuuga warned. He knew exactly what that dragon was and exactly how devastating its powers were. For a fire demon to even approach the level of power needed to conjure the dragon was extremely rare. But for a fire demon outside of their clan to have been able to trap the dragon...That was unheard of.

The dark flames that leapt off of Hiei's arm died down slowly and reverted to being just a tattoo. Hiei glared as Kayan continued tearing into Yuki. Her screams echoed through the silent room.

"Drop your weapons." Kuuga continued. Hiei complied, followed by the rest of them.

"Tie them up." Kuuga yelled, and the soldiers came forward to subdue them. I watched helplessly as Hiei was pushed to the ground and tied.

"No…no! No! Don't let them take you! Don't worry about me!" I managed to scream, "_Just run!_"

Hiei hesitated, resisting against the binds, but Kuuga pushed the blade another fraction of an inch towards my neck and Hiei was subdued.

"_NOOOOO!_" I screamed. Kayan quickened his pace. I was suddenly aware again of the man that still used my body like an object. Pain was all that was left as my anguish chased away the last of the effects of the drug. When he exploded into me, I was left in numb silence. I hung motionlessly.

"Did I break her?" Kayan laughed, yanking me back by the hair to see my blank face. I didn't respond to the pain at all.

"Ha, looks like I did." He smirked, cutting the rope. I fell to the ground like a corpse. Vaguely, I was aware that someone was yelling my name, but I no longer cared. _Everything is a dream...I'll wake up and it'll all be over...If I just wake up…_

"_**Yukihime!**_" Hiei screamed into my mind and aloud, momentarily snapping me from my daze. I looked up to where he was bound and struggling to get to me, but held in place by two soldiers.

"Hiei…" I managed to croak, my voice broken and rasp from screaming. Tears dribbled down my cheeks again, "I'm so sorry."

I continued, "I'm so sorry…" I cried. _It's alright_. I heard his voice whisper in my mind.

"I'm so sorry…" I rasped again. I tried dragging myself towards him, but the pain in my body was so intense that I was left breathless when I tried to move. I pushed past the pain and crawled forward on my arms. A foot came down on my arm and pinned it painfully to the ground. I looked up to find Kuuga reach down and grab a fistful of my hair, yanking me to my knees.

"And where do you think _you're_ going?" Kuuga threw me back away from Hiei. I landed on my back, unable to move as the throw reopened all my wounds again. I bleed freely and my conscious threatened to slip away if I just gave in. It tugged at me persistently, trying to pull me under the sweet lull of sleep.

Kuuga turned to Hiei, "If you tell me where the essence is, then you get to save your woman." Hiei flashed him a death glare.

"If you don't, well, then she dies." Kuuga continued, "Such a waste."

At the edge of consciousness, I felt someone enter my head and I knew who the familiar presence was. _Hiei…_

_Yuki...I'm sorry for leaving you…_

I shook my head mentally, _It's not your fault. _

He choked on a sob, _I can't give him the essence._

I smiled, _I know. _

_No, you don't understand! Yukina is my sister!_

I paused, _You won't put her life in danger._

He sobbed silently.

_It's okay. I understand. _

He shook his head furiously. _It's not okay!_

I managed a laugh, _You really shouldn't have come, Hiei. You should have left me…_

_I couldn't leave you…_

Smiling, I gave in to the lull of sleep. My body began to sink into the abyss as I slowly lost my senses one by one. Ignoring them all, I focused my last strength into keeping the connection with Hiei. He felt my give in.

_No! Don't give up! Don't you dare!_ He screamed at me.

_Hiei, listen. I have to tell you something. _

_No, I don't care, don't you dare give up on me, Yukihime!_

I continued, not having enough time to argue with him, _When I awoke from the ice, it's true that my body only wanted a man's touch. Any man would have been able to satisfy me. _

_But…_ I struggled to stay awake as even my mind began to fade, _after you left, I couldn't stop thinking about you...I began to want only you…_

My lungs collapsed, and it was taking all my concentration to keep conveying what I wanted to say to Hiei. _And when I was captured by Kayan, I realized that I didn't want any other man but you. _

_Hiei, I love-_

Silence.

...

"No...no...no, no, no! NO!" Hiei threw his mind into her again, but there was nothing. He frantically struggled to go over to her, to shake her. To do _something_! _Anything_! His helpless cries echoed pitifully throughout the room.

"Yuki! Yuki! _YUKI!_" Hiei screamed, but there was nothing.

Youko's fox ears heard the moment she drew her last breath, when her heart skittered to a full stop. His howls drowned out the cries of Yusuke and Kuwabara.

Hiei could only stare fixated at the still body of his first love.


	6. Chapter 6: Love

Hiei suddenly burst into dark flames as the rope bindings fell away into ash. The soldiers backed away scared, and Kuuga nor Kayan ordered him stopped. Hiei was instantly next to Yuki, picking her up gingerly and cradling her limp body while his entire frame trembled in silent mourning.

"It's a shame." Kuuga spoke, breaking the silence, "I was rather fond of her."

Before anyone else could scream in protest, Hiei's soft voice echoed through the castle walls, "You're dead."

"I beg your pardon?" Kuuga smirked.

Hiei placed her back gently onto the ground again, careful not to hurt her any further. He stood and turned to face Kuuga, dark flames jumping from his body and said, "I will kill you. I will kill every single last fire demon in this entire palace." With that, Hiei was instantly upon Kuuga, throwing him back to crash against the far wall. Soldiers swarmed him and he was momentarily lost under the pile of demons when dark flames burst from the center and incinerating all the soldiers into ash. The remaining soldiers stood hesitantly by their king, who still sat upon the throne in a lazy sprawl.

"Any last words?" Hiei asked coldly, facing off Kayan.

"It is you who will die." Kayan flashed an evil grin. The two were instantly upon each other as the bulkier Kayan surprisingly was able to keep up with the smaller statured Hiei. Sparks flew from their swords as somewhere amidst the chaos, they both had gotten hold of their weapons. Hiei's darkness flame leaped from his arm and was about to engulf Kayan in its dark grasps when another dark dragon flew from Kayan's chest, erupting his shirt in the same dark flames that surrounded Hiei to reveal a dark dragon tattoo on his chest. Everyone watched in silent horror as two darkness flame dragons twirled around each other, to bite and claw at the other. They swirled within the small confines of the castle, showering the entire room in hell fire while their owners clashed again and again viciously.

Youko managed to get loose from the bindings and ran to Yuki's body, shielding her when the flames were close to touching her. Cradling her to his chest, the silver fox ran towards the door with Yusuke and Kuwabara right behind him.

"Shouldn't we help Hiei?" Kuwabara asked hesitantly at the door, not willing to leave his short-tempered friend behind.

"We can't help him now. We'll only get in the way." Youko yelled over the roaring flames and screaming soldiers struggling to get to safety. Not even Kayan's own people were spared from the obsidian fire.

"Damn it! Kurama's right. We have to leave!" Yusuke screamed, smacking Kuwabara's back sending him stumbling through the giant doorway. Youko stopped just outside the doorway and looked back towards the brawl of hell.

"Come on! What are you waiting for?" Yusuke hurried.

"_KOENMA MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRING HER BACK TO LIFE!"_ Youko screamed at Hiei.

Hiei heard the stupid fox and he froze momentarily, "I'm not going to die here." Hiei yelled back with a scoff, silently thanking the fox demon. Youko recognized Hiei's grief and understood that he was being much too reckless in his fight with Kayan. Mentioning her revival reminded him that he still had a purpose. With a satisfied smirk, Youko rushed out of the castle with Yusuke and Kuwabara in tow.

"It must be hard having such weak friends." Kayan sneered.

Hiei matched it, "Same to you." Kayan's sneer faltered a fraction, noticing that almost all of this demons were either charcoal or had escaped somewhere. Kayan growled, swinging his sword down hard on the smaller man's frame. Hiei blocked it, but it wasn't without effort. He was outmatched in strength. Kayan had him by bulk and he was equal in speed. Truthfully, this was a disadvantageous battle, especially with the dragon of the darkness flame currently otherwise occupied.

The two dragons were still looped around each other in a deadlock, crashing and burning whatever they touched. The castle walls were crumbling and Nightfall Castle was about to be wiped off the face of the earth. The only ones foolish enough to remain were Hiei and Kayan, still duking it out in an old fashioned sword fight. Hiei found that Kayan's weakness was his ankle. Though they were equal in speed, Kayan was bulky and not agile. The back of his feet should be the hardest place for him to reach. And sure enough, Hiei had sliced his ankle and bleed his thigh. Kayan huffed in pain and struggled to breathe through the miasma of the darkness flame. Hiei was no better off. His left hand had been sliced almost cleanly to the bone along the upper arm, so he was no longer able to block Kayan's heavy swings with both hands anymore. He resorted to dodging and maneuvering, but Kayan's quick attacks left him on the defence. They both charged at each other again, each aiming for the death blow, but when they passed each other, Hiei was cut from shoulder to hip and Kayan was only grazed along the shoulder. He tsked. This was not going to be a fight he could win. Kayan smirked cockily.

"Is that all you've got?" Kayan taunted, charging again. Hiei tried blocking, unable to dodge anymore, but with only one hand against Kayan's strength, Hiei's own sword bit down against his shoulder. He snarled, knowing that he was about to lose. Kayan charged with a roar, and just when Hiei was about to resign to his fate, Kayan stepped into the pool of Yuki's blood. The blood turned to crystal ice and immediately rooted him to the ground. Kayan looked down stunned, and erupted flames from his entire body trying to melt the ice with darkness flame, but the ice melted slowly, giving Hiei just enough time to fly forward with his sword pointed straight at Kayan's heart.

The sword slid home with a meaty squelch and Kayan fell to the ground, his eyes glazing over in astonishment. Kayan's dragon burst into flames and disappeared, leaving Hiei's dragon to return to his arm. Hiei fell to his knees, unable to move any longer. The crumbling castle started to cave in, and the dark flames ate away at all it touched.

_Even though you went through the trouble of saving me...it still looks like I won't make it, Yuki…_ Hiei thought, collapsing to the ground. _Maybe Koenma can revive us both. _He scoffed. _Not even Koenma can revive a pile of ashes. _The miasma filled his lungs and the black flames edged closer. As Hiei closed his eyes, he heard footsteps running through the flames and a familiar fox demon screaming his name.

He felt himself being hoisted onto someone's back, "Youko…" He mumbled.

"Yusuke's here too." Youko smiled, taking off towards the exit again with yet another lifeless body.

"Yuki…" Hiei croaked.

"Kuwabara's guarding her body in the forest." Youko replied, dodging the crumbling bricks as they were showered with burning rubble.

"Hiei!" Yusuke called when he saw him on Youko's back, "Thought you might need the help, but looks like you got by all on your own." He grinned widely, slapping the delicate back of a dying man.

"I didn't...Yuki...helped…" Hiei mumbled as he slipped out of consciousness.

* * *

Hiei awoke days later bandaged from head to toe looking like a mummified bandage monster. He was alone in his room, but heard the bustling of his comrades in the kitchen. He smiled softly. Limping to the door with the help of the wall, Hiei stumbled into the kitchen, expecting to see all of them, including Yuki, awake and well.

Kurama was cooking pancakes again while Yusuke and an equally mummified Kuwabara sat on the couch. They weren't smile. Kurama pushed the pancakes around while his thoughts were a thousand miles from home. Yusuke sat dejectedly as if Keiko had broken up with him or something. Kuwabara was sporting multiple casts and a very black right eye.

"What's wrong?" Hiei asked, observing his depressed friends. No one answered, they all looked away as if afraid to meet his eyes.

"Where's Yuki?" Hiei asked with more urgency, suddenly worried, "Koenma didn't refuse to revive her did he? Because if he did, I swear-

Kurama cut him off, "It's not Koenma, Hiei."

"Then what? What's wrong?!" Hiei nearly screamed.

Kurama stared into Hiei's eyes, as if afraid what he might do, "She's gone."

"Gone? What do you mean 'gone'?" Hiei limped to Kurama and shoved him against the wall with one hand balling his shirt. Blood instantly beaded through the bandages.

"You'll reopen your wounds, Hiei!" Kurama argued, trying to get Hiei to release him and relax.

Hiei shoved him again, "_Answer me, _fox. What do you mean '_gone'_?" Yusuke ran over to stop fight, putting a hand on Hiei's arm.

"He means she disappeared, Hiei." Yusuke said, "When we went back for you, we left her with Kuwabara. But when we got back, Kuwabara was half dead and Yuki's body was gone."

Hiei dropped his hold on Kurama and stepped back, frozen. He couldn't make his mind work. It seemed like everything just stopped. _Yuki was gone…_

"We tried looking for her everywhere, even Koenma sent his demons to search, but we found nothing. There were no tracks, no sign of her." Yusuke continued, "It's like she just disappeared."

"What about Kuwabara? He must have at least _seen_ who took her!" Hiei turned on Kuwabara like a wild tide. Kurama stepped between them.

"Kuwabara was knocked out and almost killed instantly. He didn't see or notice anything at all." Kurama said, placing a hand on Hiei's shoulder to calm his friend, "We've already asked him a hundred times."

Hiei shoved Kurama out of the way to snarl at Kuwabara, "How could you get beaten up without even so much as _sensing_ someone near you?!"

"I'm sorry, okay!" Kuwabara yelled back, "Yusuke already gave me an earful, I don't need it from you too!"

With a frustrated huff, Hiei limped towards the door, but was stopped by Kurama's grip on his arm, "Let go." Hiei hissed.

"You're too weak to go look for her right now." Kurama persuaded, "You've been asleep for a week, Hiei. Youko already searched the entire area. There wasn't even a scent."

He swiveled around and swatted Kurama's hand away, "Well then you're not searching hard enough." He whispered darkly, and disappeared out the door.

"That idiot will reopen all his wounds again!" Yusuke cursed, chasing after Hiei. Kurama stood motionlessly at the door. Somewhere deep inside, he felt that it was his fault. He shouldn't have left Yuki alone with Kuwabara. Kuwabara was the weakest of all of them. He should have stayed, or left Yusuke to stay behind. Yusuke surely would have at least been able to stall them just long enough for Youko to return. He had thought that outside of the fire demons, she would be safe. Kurama cursed.

"It's not like you." Kuwabara grumbled from behind him. Momentarily, Kurama had even forgotten Kuwabara. It truly wasn't like him to be so distracted.

Kurama grimaced, "You're right, it really isn't like me…" Somehow, Kuwabara felt as if they were talking about two different things.

Kuwabara felt the need to say something to his friend, his usually strong-willed friend that was falling apart in front of him, they all were, "It's not your fault you know." He limped towards his red-headed friend, "If anything, it's mine. For being too weak."

Kurama turned and smiled warily, "It's all our faults. For not being able to protect her…" Kuwabara could only look out into the night, praying that Hiei would be able to do what they all couldn't.

* * *

Hiei collapsed against a tree; he had overexerted himself again and the deepest wound that ran from shoulder to hip had reopened again. He took a moment to regain his breath, thinking to himself just how weak he had become. Jumping up onto the tree, he sat down gingerly, careful to not reopen something else and ripped off the bandage on his forehead. His jagan eye glowed softly and sweat beaded along his nape. He was so weak he could barely maintain his jagan. But still he searched, forcing all the remainder of his spirit energy to his eye.

He scoured the forests of the Makai world that bordered the Nightfall Castle. He felt many demons, all of their spirit energies were low-leveled demons, none were Yuki's. He could feel her anywhere. He had secretly watched her countless times with his jagan when he had left for "business". At first, he had been simply confused and hurt by the way she rejected him even though he knew from her mind that she was attracted to him. He had wanted to cut her off from his life and he figured leaving for a few months would do the trick, but it had only forced him to think about her every passing day. And eventually he had gave in. He had watched her anxiously awaiting his return each day, checking his room when she thought no one was watching just to make sure he had not slipped in without anyone's notice.

The night's especially were interesting. She sleeps talk, and Hiei had secretly invaded her mind to peak at her dreams while she slept. Many a nights had her dreams been about him, and eventually he had started to replace the dream Hiei with himself. She showed him her home on the mountains of the ice maidens and the temple where she would pray everyday. She introduced him to her friend Saya who was like a sister to her and to Grandma Yue who raised her since she was little. She showed him the field of snow blossoms that bloomed like crystal flowers and the strangely alluring scent they gave off. The scent reminded him of her. He saw the village she lived in, devoid of men, just like it is now and realized that the floating mountain of Hyouga where Yukina and Hiei were born was the same mountain that she lived in. Sometime during the 500 years that she was sealed, the mountain peak had broken off and became a secluded home for their ancestors.

When the nights were cruel, he saw the day the fire demons had attacked and watched as the home she knew all her life was burnt to the ground. He heard the last thing Grandma Yue said to her as the old women protected her with her life; it made him understand her deep rooted hatred for fire demons, and understand why she would not go to him. It pained him to see her kindness and unfaltering trust fall away to self-preservation and suspicion. Each time she had that dream, he would always quietly slip into her room and wipe away the sweat that beaded her forehead and rub her back until her dreams became peaceful. And with each coming morning, she would wake and forget all her dreams again.

Before he knew it, he would look forward to the nights where they could be together, even if just a dream, and they would be strangers again by morning. He had realized somewhere along the way that this was 'love'. The so-called 'love' that Kuwabara mouthed away at every waking moment and the notion that allowed Yusuke to go through unimaginable pain just to protect a single human girl...He had finally...fallen in love.

And just when he had been ready to meet her outside of dreams, everything had fallen apart. He angrily scrubbed away at a tear that dared to slip out and shook away his thoughts violently. This was not the time to daydream, however much he wished he could see her in her dreams again. He forced his jagan eye to work again, willed it to see, and saw thousands of miles away. He rustled through the sceneries before him like Koenma flipping papers, looking in each for that specific aura that was purely Yukihime's.

When he was finally nearing his limit, he felt a hand on his shoulder and the sudden transferring of a very familiar spirit energy that rushed from the hand. "You're looking for her right?" Yusuke said, "Use my spirit energy. I know you're running low." Hiei gave a small smile and took the gift that it was without reserve. His jagan eye glowed brighter, and thousands of different places flashed before his him like a movie and he concentrated even harder to find her spirit energy.

After about an hour, both Hiei and Yusuke were drained. Yusuke stopped the transfer and Hiei immediately collapsed onto him, nearly knocking them both off the tree. "Hiei!" Yusuke shook worriedly, "You okay?"

"I'm..fine.." He pushed himself upright.

"You're pushing yourself too hard." Yusuke said angrily, "You're still injured!"

"I said I'm fine!" Hiei snapped, the frustration and exhaustion finally taking the better of him.

"Look, I want to find her just as much as you do. But we won't find her if you're like this." Yusuke said, grabbing an arm and tossing it over his shoulder to support him, "You have to get better so we can find and fight whoever took her and take her back."

Hiei finally gave in and allowed Yusuke to limp them back towards home, "She's mine though." He flashed a possessive stare at Yusuke.

Yusuke was confused for a second, then it finally clicked, "Wait _what?!_" A giant grin began to form on his lips. "Someone _likes_ her!" Yusuke teased.

Hiei's face began to burn, "Sh-shut up." He growled, "Idiot." He turned away from Yusuke, trying to hide his embarrassment.

Yusuke howled in laughter, "What made you think I want her anyway?"

"You said you want her back as much as I do." Hiei replied easily.

"Well I didn't think you'd fancy her _that_ way!" Yusuke beamed, nudging his friend, "So what do you like about her anyway?"

The rest of the way, they talked about love and girls as they limped on back. Yusuke told him all the things Keiko did that all girls do that Hiei would definitely hate while Hiei argued that Yuki wouldn't do those things. They argued and bickered and before they knew it, they were back at the front door of Koenma's demon world villa where Kurama stood with his arms crossed like a mother ready to scold a naughty child. Kuwabara joined them outside and chipped in his piece about Yukina while Hiei rolled his eyes.

* * *

Kurama knocked on his door after everyone had retreated for the night, "Come in." Hiei replied, busy trying to rewrap new bandages around himself without aggravating the wounds. He wasn't having much luck as he winced everytime he reached back to take the bandage coil.

"I thought you might want help with the bandages." Kurama smiled, peaking in. The red-head noted the struggle that Hiei was having and chuckled softly. Hiei turned away with a 'hn'.

Kurama took the bandages and began bandaging the wounds when Hiei spoke, "I'm going to make her mine."

His hands froze with bandage still half undone; he let out an awkward laugh, "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?..."

"I know you like her too." Hiei said, still faced away from Kurama, "But I'm taking her."

"I don't like her, it's not like that between us." Kurama smiled softly.

"Not you. Youko." Hiei said his name, and the hand that held the bandage suddenly disappeared. A clawed hand stretched around with razor sharp nails inches away from Hiei's neck.

"You called?" Youko whispered coyly.

"You heard me." Hiei replied, still unmoving.

Youko's claws withdrew from his neck; Hiei turned around and saw Youko no longer smiling, "I admit I do like her," Youko frowned, "but I know that it is not meant to be."

"You'd willingly give her to me?" Hiei asked suspiciously. Youko was extremely possessive. He was not known to give things over without a fight, especially not someone he had feelings for.

Youko smiled wistfully, "She was mumbling your name, you know? In her sleep. She sleep talks."

Hiei watched silently the Youko that he had known for most of his life, his enemy, his rival, and now his friend, shed a tear with a soft smile, "It's Kurama rubbing off on me. He's always been too good an influence for me."

Youko took up the fallen bandage and finished what Kurama started out to do. Hiei watched Youko and wondered what he was thinking, but decided against looking into his mind. He knew Youko hated having his mind invaded, especially now he guess, "You'll find someone who you'll love more than Yuki." Hiei predicted, "What you feel for her right now is just lust."

Youko froze, thinking for a second that Hiei had really dared to enter his mind, but he realized Hiei was trying to comfort him. He let out a sharp laugh, "When did you gain the power of foresight? Maybe I should have you tell me my fortune tomorrow." He smiled.

Hiei remained silent. Youko smiled and finished tying the bandages together, "There, all done," Youko stood.

Youko smiled at Hiei, "Love suits you, my friend." And with that last teasing message, Youko disappeared in a puff of smoke and a confused Kurama nearly stumbled before catching himself.

"Did Youko say anything to you?" Kurama asked, confused.

Hiei gave a small smirk, "Just the senile ramblings of an old fox."

Kurama looked confused, but decided against asking further, "Good night, Hiei." He said religiously every night, despite Hiei's hatred for "foolish human customs".

As Kurama headed out the door, he almost didn't hear the small mumble that came from seemingly nowhere, "What? Did you say something?" Kurama asked Hiei, pausing at the door.

"Nothing." Hiei smiled, and Kurama headed out, having sworn that he heard someone answer him. A fox howled in laughter inside Kurama's head. Surely he was hearing things today, Kurama thought resolutely, humming as he returned to his room.


	7. Chapter 7: Futile

Dark flames burned all around me. The miasma was choking me as I struggled to breathe. Swerving around, I searched desperately for an escape route through the hell's abyss. There was none. I backed away from the flames, suddenly very afraid. It was then that I saw a figure, stepping through the inferno. I turned to the new threat. It was a boy, no older than 15 in a black tunic and spiked black hair. He surprisingly didn't burn.

I reached out to him, "Please! Help me!" I screamed, but he didn't seem to register that I had said anything.

I tried again, "Please!" This time, he stepped forward towards me and the flames stopped reaching for me. I approached him with a trusting smile.

"Thank you, sir." I looked into his eyes. They were the color of rubies, something that was very rare back at my home on top of the mountain. Momentarily, I had forgotten that I still stood in the middle of the flames.

The boy's eyes softened and a small smile appeared on his lips, "I missed you…" He reached a hand to my cheeks and brushed it gently. I was not used to a man's touch; I was momentarily frozen in place. This was actually the first time I had seen a man up close. There were no men back where I lived. I had only ever seen them far below the mountain peaks.

I stepped away, suddenly very embarrassed, "Um, have we met?"

"Yukihime…" He whispered, stepping closer, but suddenly, he burst into dark flames and disappeared in a puff of miasma. The death fire ring around me started cornering me again. I cried out as the closest flame licked by arm, searing my flesh.

"Someone! Please! Help!" I cried, but I could not see past the fire. The inferno closed in and I screamed as they ate away at my kimono and burnt every part of my body. I screamed and screamed until my world became black and I was suddenly awake in a foreign room, still huffing from the remnants of the dream.

A toddler stood next to my bed with a blue pacifier protruding from his mouth, "Oh good, you're awake."

I looked around me. The room was nothing like anything I had ever seen, "Sir, where am I?"

The toddler froze, looking up at me. He squinted his eyes, "Do you recognize me?"

"Um, I believe I do not, sir. This is the first time we've met." I smiled easily.

The toddler turned to the door and yelled, "Botan, come in here!" And a sapphire haired girl in a pink kimono walked in.

She immediately saw me and burst into a large smile, "Oh! Yuki! You're awake! How are you feeling?"

"Miss...Botan? I am fine, thank you, but…" I said confused, "how do you know my name?"

Her smile faltered and immediately turned to worry, "Oh my...does she not remember me?"

The toddler replied to her, "I think she lost her memories when we brought her back."

Botan turned to me again, "Dear, what's the last thing you remember?"

It was a strange question, but according to these strange people, I had lost my memory, so I complied and tried to think about what the last thing I remembered was, "Um, I was praying at the Temple and thinking about what to get for Saya for her Winter Solstice present...I think. I'm not too sure." I laughed softly, covering my mouth. The blue haired Botan and the toddler exchanged worried glances.

I stopped laughing, suddenly worried, "Have I forgotten something?" It didn't seem like they were joking. They actually seemed sincerely worried.

The toddler flashed a forced smile, "It's nothing to worry about. Just a minor lapse in memory. Nothing major. I'm sure it'll come back to you soon. My name is Koenma, this is Botan, as you already know." He said, "You should rest for a bit more, you look unwell."

He headed for the door, motioning for Botan to follow, "We'll be right outside if you need us." And with that, he disappeared through the door. I frowned a little, wondering what I had forgotten, but decided against pursuing the issue further. He did say it'll come back. I have nothing to fear. Laying back down on the surprisingly soft cushion, I immediately drifted off into sleep.

* * *

Outside the door, Koenma motioned for Botan to be quiet and follow him back to her office, "Don't say a word to anyone about this."

"But sir!" Botan argued, "How can we not tell Hiei about this! He's practically destroying himself trying to find her!"

"It's orders from my father, Botan, I can't disobey." Koenma frowned.

"Why is King Enma trying to separate her from the others?" Botan asked.

"This wasn't what I had in mind when I asked him for help," Koenma fretted, "I told him I needed help rescuing her from the fire demons, but my father thought keeping her dead would be best."

"Wait _what?_" Botan exclaimed, "So _King Enma_ is the one who hurt Kuwabara and took Yuki's body?!"

"Quiet Botan! No one can know about this!" Koenma hushed, "My father wanted her dead so he sent assassins to take her body back when he found out she had died. He was going to keep her dead, but I intervened."

"Your father allowed you to just take her then?" Botan asked surprised.

"No, he did something to her. Most likely that's what made her lose all her memories." Koenma sighed.

"Why does King Enma want her dead?" She argued.

"He doesn't want any outsiders to know where the Winter's Essence is. She was captured because of it too." Koenma replied with another sigh. He cradled his head in his arms, trying to sort through the mess that it was.

"How could King Enma do that! He's supposed to protect people!" Botan raged, slamming her hands down on Koenma's desk.

"He _is _protecting," Koenma thought furiously, "in his own way. If there's no one else that knows about the location of the Winter's Essence, then the ice maidens are safe. One life compared to the lives of an entire race."

Botan glared at him, "So you think it's better if Yuki died too?!"

"No! I don't!" Koenma argued, "I don't believe my father is correct in this either, which is why she's still alive!"

Botan settled down with a pout, "I still can't believe King Enma would do this. This is ridiculous! What about Hiei?!"

"We can't tell Hiei about this. We can't tell any of them. Those were the terms that my father set." Koenma sighed in defeat.

"Why not? She already doesn't know where the essence is!" Botan turned furiously again.

"I'm not sure, but I think it's because he's afraid that being with them will spur her memories." Koenma contemplated, "I don't think he erased her memories. He just sealed them. There's a chance that they might come back if she's too close to her past."

Botan was silent, thinking about Hiei spending his entire lifetime trying to find the girl that he loves when she was so close…

"Maybe it's better this way." Koenma grumbled, let out a cry of frustration.

Botan glared, "How is _anything_ better this way?!"

Koenma answered warily, "The memories she lost weren't exactly good memories."

Botan fell silent. She had noticed how trusting and kind the Yuki that slept just rooms away from them now was compared to before. The first time Yuki had started living with them, she was suspicious and untrusting with all of them, sometimes bordering on cold indifference. With her memories gone, she was a different person...a better person.

"But what about Hiei?" Botan sighed sadly.

"He will have to learn to give up." Koenma murmurred.

"And just when he had fallen in love with her…" Botan wiped away a few tears and sniffled.

"It's better this way." Koenma said again, as both of them silently accepted the cruel fate that had been tossed their way.

* * *

It had been a month already and there was still no sign of Yukihime. Hiei slammed his fist against the tree he sat on, huffing from overexerting his jagan again. Truthfully, his jagan had started hurting a lot since yesterday from overuse. Still, he pushed himself again today, biting back the pain. He closed his jagan and bandaged it again. He couldn't understand why he couldn't find her. He had searched almost every inch of demon world and human world. She was absolutely nowhere to be found. The only explanation he could think of was that they had set up barriers like the one Yukina had been locked in. He cursed. What use was his stupid third eye if he couldn't even find the one girl that he would give anything to meet again.

He heard footsteps and knew it was Yusuke. It had become routine for Yusuke to come bring him home when dinner time arrived. Yusuke saw his hunched back and knew that today had been yet another disappointment. It hurt Yusuke to see his friend tearing himself apart like this. He walked over to Hiei and forced him to turn towards him. Before Hiei could protest, Yusuke ripped the bandage off his jagan eye. His eyes narrowed.

"You know you can't keep doing this, Hiei." Yusuke said seriously, "Your eye's bleeding."

Hiei snatched away the bandage and tied it back in place again, "It doesn't matter. This eye isn't doing what it's supposed to do."

"You can't keep punishing yourself like this!" Yusuke argued, "You've already searched through the entire demon and human world multiple times already. If she's not there, that can only mean that someone is keeping a barrier up."

"If there's a chance that that barrier is taken down, then I will be there when it does." Hiei huffed, dizzy from overexertion.

Yusuke took Hiei's arm again to help support his suicidal friend, "Please, just take tomorrow off. Let your eye rest."

Hiei was silent. He felt battered and drained of spirit energy. Truthfully, he couldn't sleep at nights either. Everytime he tried to rest, his mind would just replay the scene when she died. Each time, he'd wake with tears streaming down his face. It was starting to take its toll on his body, mentally and physically.

Kurama was waiting for them outside again. He saw the defeated expression on their faces and gave a small smile, "Dinner's ready." Yusuke flashed a replying grin, though it was dim compared to before. Team Urameshi just wasn't what it used to be. Hiei limped into the house and was greeted by a blinding grin from Botan.

"Hey Hiei! How's it going!" Botan exclaimed. Hiei ignored her. Yusuke gave her a glare.

"Read the mood." Kuwabara grimaced. Botan's energy visibly dropped a few levels. She frowned guiltily.

"Hiei, maybe you should...give up?" Botan said tentatively. Hiei immediately turned on her in rage.

"I am _not_ giving up!" Hiei snarled vehemently.

"I know you like her, but this is...you're destroying yourself, Hiei!" Botan cried, "Everyone's falling apart, _we're_ falling apart. It's just not worth it!"

"How can you say that, Botan?" Yusuke glared, "I thought you of all people would understand!"

Botan defended, "I do, but-

Yusuke cut in, "Botan, just stop."

Botan cried silently, her shoulders shaking while she sobbed. She knew they would not stop looking for her, but this…this she had not wanted. This she would not have wanted on anyone. Kurama put an arm around her shoulder and lead her out to the living room where he sat her down with a box of tissues.

"I'm sorry, Botan." Kurama smiled sadly, "Everyone's just on edge right now."

Botan shook her head feverishly, sobbing harder, "I-I know that th-they're sad but...th-they're hurting themselves!" She sobbed, blowing her nose on the tissue Kurama handed her.

"I know. I tried convincing Hiei to rest, but he won't listen." Kurama sighed worriedly, "I don't think he's been sleeping either."

"Even K-Keiko's worried." Botan continued, "Sh-she said Yusuke h-has been really di-different." Kurama rubbed useless circles into her back silently. When Botan finally calmed down enough to not drip snot everywhere, she headed back into the dining room silently, not willing to look any of them in the eye.

They hadn't touched the food that lay cold on the table. Yusuke had pulled of Hiei's bandage and Botan gasped when she saw that the jagan eye was completely bloodshot and it was bleeding from the corners, leaving red blood trails that went down his face. She bit back another sob.

Taking a deep breath, Botan couldn't take it anymore, "Minami Dai Ichi Koukou _(South First High School)_. Koenma has a mission for you all there. Hiei, you have to go." Hiei opened his mouth to argue, but was cut off by Botan.

"_You're going!_" She screamed at him at the loudest volume anyone has heard from her, then she ran out the door, leaving three confused and one irritated Team Urameshi member behind.

* * *

I usually don't write this, but thank you to **AliceJr** for reviewing! :) You're my first reviewer, so I was really happy to know that someone actually likes my work! I'm sorry for the rape scene, there really won't be anymore! I promise! xD I hope you'll like the rest of the story!   



	8. Chapter 8: School

Koenma had arranged for me to adapt to the new human world and had kindly provided me with an 'apartment' near the 'school' that I was to attend. Botan had stayed with me for a week to teach me all the things that I didn't know...which was pretty much everything. I am very grateful to her. I almost had everything memorized. She had even left me with a little notebook that contained everything that I would need to know to get by in this new life.

Koenma told me that I temporarily could not return back home. I was worried, but trusted that it would all be resolved. For now, I just enjoyed the curious new world. It was so full of _color_. Back at home, there was only white snow everywhere and blue sky for as far as the eye could see. But here...there was green 'grass' and 'trees' and these large 'metal'...what did Botan call them again? Ah! 'Cars'! Cars of every color and size. The trails...uh 'roads' were gray and the clothes humans wore! So many different colors!

I opened my own closet that Botan had kindly picked out with me and taught me how they were put on. They were surprisingly simpler than the kimono and a lot more mobile, but revealed so much! It had taken me a good month for me to finally adjust to the new clothes without feeling so revealed. I picked out the uniform set that I had to wear for school that hung from these 'plastic' uh.. 'hangars'.

Slipping them on, I pointed to the brown leather geta sandals or...not geta, "Loafers!" I named, giggling. Everyone had a new name and it was fun memorizing them all.

Twirling around, I looked at myself in the mirror that was attached to the 'closet' door. My ice blue hair still hung to my thighs in long waves. My eyes matched my hair in the same shade of aqua. The 'sailor uniform' that Botan had handed me was the one designated for my school apparently. It was a black 'mini skirt' with a white top embroidered by a black collar and a long black ribbon sash that tied at the front. I tucked the charm 'necklace' that Botan had given me and made me swear to never take off, underneath the shirt. And with that, I was ready!

It was definitely different than what I was used to. Everyone wore white kimonos embroidered with blue snowflakes or flowers back at home. It was an interesting difference though, so I accepted it and headed out the door.

I had already attended school for a week with Botan. 'School' was an interesting place where humans gathered to learn more about their world. Since I was the most foreign of all of them, I paid extra attention, memorizing everything that the teacher had said. What I couldn't understand was the mixed reactions that I received from my fellow students. Some were outright hostile and others were bordering on...excitement. Most of the girls stayed away from me in their groups. The ones that actually came up to talk to me were the boys. They were especially kind to me, repeatedly offering to help me with everything. They even asked me to 'hang out' with them after school, which Botan had suggested I decline. She said they were trying to 'court' me. Apparently, 'courting' is how humans mate. I declined the rest of the offers politely after that. They were kind, but ice maidens, especially a shrine maiden who protected the Winter's Essence, did not 'mate'. No, that was definitely going against every rule ever recited to me. Still, the humans tried anyway.

Today was no different. I sat in my usual 'seat' that was assigned to me and patiently waited for the teacher to come and start 'class'. A boy sauntered up to my desk and leaned on my table with a smirk, "Good morning, Yukihime-chan."

I think his name was Hiroichi Takeya. I smiled and replied, "Good morning, Hiroichi-kun." I was a bit surprised that he had greeted me by my first name.

"You still busy after school?" Hiroichi asked, "'Cuz I know this great Karaoke bar that I know you'll love."

I shook my head and lied though I felt very guilty about it, "I'm sorry, I have to go to the Temple to pray today too."

He gave me a weird look, "You go to the Temple? Is your family really religious?"

I was really digging myself into a deeper hole, "Yes, I was raised that way." I smiled, hoping that would be the end of that.

"That's cool," Hiroichi continued, "I haven't been to the Temple in years. I'll go with you."

Oh, this was getting worse; I really shouldn't have lied… "No, I really don't want to trouble you."

"It's no trouble." Hiroichi smiled, "I'll meet you at the front gate after school!" He said, just as the teacher walked in.

"Alright, class started, kids. Back to your seats!" Fuuma-sensei announced as he flipped open the role book and started reading the names off. Each student replied to the name until it came to Botan.

"Kuon Botan-san." Fuuma-sensei read. No one replied. He repeated her name and looked up, "Not here? Okay." He continued.

"Kuon Yukihime-san." Fuuma-sensei read. A few girls whispered and glared at me. I caught someone saying, _What kind of parent names their daughter Princess? Just who does she think she is?_ I sighed.

I replied, "Hai." Fuuma-sensei looked up.

"Your sister isn't here today?" Fuuma-sensei asked. That was our "alibi".

"Ah, she went back to our home town because our grandma was sick." I lied easily. I was really starting to get good at this. I sighed.

"Oh, next time tell her to call in to the office ahead of time." Fuuma-sensei said.

"Yes...it was sudden. I'm sorry, sensei." I stood and bowed, then sat back down. More whispers. The girls really seemed to hate me. I wonder what I did to offend them.

The teacher blushed, "Um, well, as long as you're reflecting on it." He cleared his throat and continued on. The rest of class was interesting as usual. I learned that when the teacher asked for someone to answer the questions, I must not volunteer myself and wait for the teacher to call on someone. That was just how it was done. During lunch time, I missed having Botan around. Her presence would deter the boys from approaching me and sometimes someone would come talk to her. She was just easy to talk to. I was having a hard time learning to be like her.

I sat alone and nibbled at the school lunch that I bought. It was 'curry' today and upon taking the first bite, I ate at it hungrily. The human food flavors! They were so rich and plentiful in taste that I had finished half the tray before another boy approached me. He was taller than Hiroichi and had a bit more muscle. I remembered his name was Mikage Senya and he was on the basketball team or something. Some of the girls shot dirty glares at me when he approached me. _Again?_

"Hey, do you mind me joining you?" Mikage asked, taking a seat opposite of me before I could respond.

I relented, "Sure, I don't mind."

"Kuon-chan, can I call you that?" Mikage asked.

I smiled again, "Sure." I spooned some more curry into my mouth. From the corner of my eye, I saw Hiroichi send a glare to Mikage. _Oh, it's like that._

Mikage was oblivious of the death glares he was getting, "So, you doing anything today?"

"I'm going to the Temple today." I sighed softly, using the same excuse.

"With me." Hiroichi had stalked over and plopped himself down next to me, putting an arm around my shoulder. I squirmed away uneasily. Botan had _not_ taught me how to handle situations like this!

Mikage's smile turned to a frown, "You're troubling Kuon-chan." They glared at each other. Mikage pulled me out of Hiroichi's arms and moved me behind him, shielding me. I recognized this as a pre-battle move. _Uh oh…_

I decided now was the time to step in before things _really_ got ugly, "Um, Mikage-san? Hiroichi-san? Please...don't fight." I sniffled. Botan tactics #1, sniffle when you need guys to listen to you.

They both instantly turned to me and the tension level dove. I breathed a mental sigh of relief and thanked Botan. Mikage smiled, "We won't fight, don't worry!"

Hiroichi still glared at Mikage, but the tension was gone from his body, "Yukihime-chan, don't be with guys like him."

Mikage narrowed his eyes, "Yukihime-chan?" He questioned the name, "Did she let you call her that?"

"Of course she did!" Hiroichi lied nervously, flitting a glance my way to make sure I wasn't angry.

Mikage turned to me, "Did you really let him call you that? Are you dating him?"

I was really starting to hate boys, "Um, no...I mean, no I'm not dating him, but I don't mind him calling me that…" I avoided answering directly that I hadn't given permission.

Mikage turned to Hiroichi again growling, "Stay away from her." Hiroichi stepped forward until they were both pressed together inches apart, glaring each other down. Some of their friends stepped up then and tried pulling them apart.

"C'mon stop it, Senya." A friend said, tugging at Mikage's arm.

"Ya, you too, Takeya." Another guy pulled Hiroichi back until the two were separated and they led them back to each their seats. The two boys were still glowering at each other.

The girls had started whispering again and one said loudly, "What a bitch. Just who does she think she is? Causing Senya-kun trouble like that."

"Ya, the nerve right?" Another girl answered loudly on purpose. I bit my lip, holding back the real tears that were about to come out. I really didn't understand humans. I grabbed my bag and tossed the the leftover curry before rushing out the door. Mikage and Hiroichi called after me, but I ignored them. I really just wanted to be alone right now. _Oh Botan, where are you when I need you?_

I remembered Botan mention that no one goes to the roof top so I ran up the stairs, ignoring all the curious faces that stared after me. Bursting open the roof door, I could finally breathe again. I closed my eyes and calmed myself with the warm wind blowing across my cheeks. It was winter, but I was really used to colder winds than this. The familiar taste of the cold calmed me and I smiled, wishing I was back at home in Grandma Yue's cold cabin where she would make warm soup with snow pears and some other herbs and spices she would never reveal. _It's filled with love. _Grandma Yue would always answer with a huff. Saya would come by sometimes when her mother was out gathering with the others and eat with us. Grandma Yue would tell us all about the days when she was younger and how strict it was compared to everything now. A tear fell from my eyes and dropped to the floor, becoming a black diamond.

I wish I could show them this world. This new world of color! Though I know Grandma Yue would disapprove. Especially of these clothes! And men! There was men everywhere! She used to tell us all about the men and how evil and conniving they were, always up to trickery. She said _They'll swoop down on you and eat you in one gulp if you let 'em!_ _You remember to stay away from them y'here?_ I laughed. I had never taken her seriously though and was curious anyway. Human men seemed alright, or at least they weren't the monsters that Grandma Yue made them out to be anyway.

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a heavy thud behind me. Curiously, I climbed up the ladder of the roof door and saw that a black haired boy in a black tunic had collapsed onto the floor. Frowning, I approached the fallen boy. _He isn't wearing the school uniform, so he isn't a student, then what is he doing here?_ I carefully laid him onto his back and touched his forehead over a bandage, checking to make sure he wasn't having a fever. I felt something under the bandage...something like a slit or a cut. I peaked under the bandage and saw that it was a third eye! I jumped back. He's a demon!

I was about to turn and run away, but I hesitated at the ladder. I couldn't leave him alone. He was burning with a fever! Demons don't get sick, so the fact that he had collapsed with a fever can only mean that he was depleted of spirit energy. If he stays like that, he could die… I sighed, unable to turn away from a helpless boy.

Kneeling by his side again, I placed my hand over his chest and concentrated on sharing my spirit energy with him. His aura sucked at my energy hungrily like a starved man, I had to pull back just so he wouldn't suck away all my energy all at once. I hadn't realized he was so powerful. After awhile, I checked his forehead again and it was noticeably cooler to the touch. With a satisfied smile, I climbed back down the ladder. One good deed a day! Grandma Yue would be proud! Walking back down the stairs as the tell-tale dings that signified the end of lunchtime rang, I felt a weird sense of familiarity with the demon. I shook it off with a forced smile and braced for the second half of the humans' 'school'

* * *

Just as a side note, what I pictured Yukihime to look like is the character "Yukihime" from Hakkenden Touhou Hakken Ibun. :) If you google Yukihime, you should find pictures of her!


	9. Chapter 9: At Long Last

Hiei awoke on the roof of the school Koenma had sent them off to feeling more refreshed than he had felt all month. He had collapsed earlier after using the last of his spirit energy looking for Yuki again with his jagan. He had a weird feeling that she was close, but he was once again met with only disappointment. He scoured the surroundings and he had collapsed, sure he was done for this time, but he had awoken with his spirit energy replenished.

Suspicious, he examined the spirit energy that surged through him and realized someone had transferred energy to him. All of it had been converted to his own by now, but it felt colder. The spirit energy was very nostalgic. It kept bothering him while he strolled back to the place they were temporarily staying at since it had gotten dark.

Koenma's orders had been strange this time. Botan had simply told him to go to the school, but hadn't said anything about what they needed to do or find...or kill. Still they had come nonetheless, especially since Botan seemed extremely adamant that they do come here. Well, he had done what she said, go to the school. Now they can go back to demon world to search for Yuki again.

When he got back, he was greeted by an unexpected visitor. Yukina stood outside the door smiling at Hiei with Kuwabara chattering on happily about something that had happened today. Yusuke seemed happier, grinning a huge teasing grin next to Yukina. Hiei turned away embarrassed.

"Look who's here to see us!" Yusuke laughed.

Hiei 'hn'ed and walked on over. Yukina greeted him, "Hello, Hiei. Botan said you were injured in another fight so she asked me to come and heal you."

Hiei cursed silently at the chipper ferry woman for her nosiness, "It's fine. It's nothing major."

"Please, allow me." Yukina pleaded softly, taking his arm gently.

Hiei sighed, unable to say no to his sister, "Fine."

Kuwabara smacked his back, "Be grateful that my precious Yukina is even here to heal you!"

Hiei sighed again, not wanting to bother with throwing a rebuttal. Yukina followed him inside with Kuwabara and Yusuke right behind her. Inside, Kurama was placing the mouth watering bowls of pork ramen onto the table when Hiei walked in. His stomach instantly let out a near-deafening growl and he turned away bright red while everyone laughed.

"I didn't eat anything…" Hiei grumbled defensively.

Yukina sat him down on the couch across from the dining room and put her hands to his forehead where his jagan was. A cold thrumming feeling spread from his forehead to the other parts of his body as her spirit energy searched for his injuries. It widened Hiei's eyes in recognition as he immediately stood up sending Yukina sprawling back as her energy rebounded.

"What was that for?!" Kuwabara yelled as he helped Yukina up, "Are you okay?"

"Ya, I'm fine." Yukina smiled reassuringly.

Hiei turned to Yukina immediately, "Did you heal me today?!" He asked desperately. She was momentarily speechless. He shook her again.

"Answer me! Did you give me spirit energy today at the school?!" He yelled.

Kuwabara shoved Hiei away, "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Yukina looked scared, "Um, no. Botan just dropped me off about an hour ago at the human world."

Kurama narrowed his eyes, "What's wrong, Hiei?"

Hiei didn't bother answering, he was out the door and flying back towards the school as fast as he could, his mind racing even faster. _It was Yuki! It has to be Yuki! It's her spirit energy! _Hiei almost cried with joy, scaling the side of the building in one joyous bound. He dropped to the top of the roof where he had woken up. Sure enough, if he concentrated hard enough, he still felt the remnants of her spirit energy as they lingered to the building when she had given him energy. He looked around feverishly.

"YUKI!" Hiei yelled, "YUKI!" Kurama landed next to him moments later.

"What's wrong Hiei? Is Yuki here?" Kurama asked.

"YUKIHIME!" Hiei yelled again desperately, "It's her spirit energy! Kurama, it's her spirit energy!" She's here!"

Instantly, Kurama was replaced by Youko. Youko smelled the roof and confirmed Hiei's suspicions, "Her smell is everywhere." He told Hiei. He took another whiff, "And they're fresh. She was here today."

Yusuke had finally caught up to the two madmen and landed with a huff. He had caught the tail end of their conversation, "What? Yuki's here?!"

"She's not here right now, but she was. I think she goes to this school." Youko said, smelling the buildings.

"But why would she not find us if she was going to school here?" Yusuke asked, confused.

Hiei had finally stopped screaming her name and calmed down to think, "I think it's time we had a _talk_ with Botan." He said darkly.

"Wait," Youko cut in, following his nose. Hiei and Yusuke immediately stopped.

"I think I can find her." Youko smirked, and disappeared down the building.

* * *

I had waited outside the school building just like Hiroichi had told me and he greeted me with a large smile. For some reason, Mikage was with him. I sighed. This was going to be one hell of a visit.

As we walked towards the temple, Mikage and Hiroichi kept asking me questions, "So were you born here?" Hiroichi asked eagerly to my right.

"Um, no." I tried, staying as close to the truth as possible.

"Cool! You were born overseas?" Hiroichi continued.

"Um...yes…" I wasn't quite sure what overseas meant, but I nodded meekly anyway.

"Where were you born?" Mikage asked, cutting off Hiroichi with a glare.

_Damn! I should have just said I was born here_! I panicked, "Um...you guys won't recognize the name even if I told you. It's really small!"

"Did you come here with your family?" Hiroichi continued the barrage of questions. I answered each one in hopes that it would be the last, but I was sadly mistaken. I was going to have trouble remembering my "alibis".

When we reached the Temple, I was so thankful I almost ran up the stairs. The two boys huffed as they followed behind me struggling to catch up.

"You're-You're really fast!" Mikage exclaimed.

"Ya, it's a habit to run up these stairs for me! Exercise!" I smiled, lying easily again as I left them in the dust.

I was already kneeling in front of the shrine cushion praying silently when they finally caught up. They saw me and opted to kneel next to me silently as well. I sighed mentally and thanked Inari-kami for the temple to use as an excuse. We must have kneeled there for over an hour. The two boys were finally getting impatient. They had been squirming around as their legs fell asleep. I just quietly knelt there in silence. I kneel at the Temple for days without moving. This was nothing. The two boys on the other hand...I chuckled mentally.

Hiroichi finally gave up and whispered, "Hey, I need to go home now or my sis will yell at me, but I'll see you tomorrow at school."

I nodded once silently and he limped out the temple, still trying to regain feeling in his leg. We were silent for a bit more until Mikage finally asked, "How long do you stay here for?"

I replied, "I usually pray until sundown then go back." Mikage sighed.

He started talking to me, "Listen...I know it's kind of disrespectful to talk to you while you're praying but I just wanted to tell you...I really like you and I want to get to know you better. Think there's a chance for me?"

I honestly wasn't sure what to say, but I finally decided how to reply, "I think you're really kind, but I hardly know you yet so…"

"No, no, that's fine! It's a good start! I mean, I want to get to know you too! Just...I wanted to tell you." Mikage said awkwardly. His voice shook a little, but he quickly collected himself again.

"Well, I'll see you in school tomorrow!" Mikage said, "Just...think about it." He turned and was gone out the door, shutting it closed quietly behind him.

I opened my eyes and sighed. Finally they were gone… I looked up to the statue of Inari. Inari was a fox deity with a red cloth around his neck and a key in his mouth. I still didn't understand the human concept of gods and deity. Demons didn't have that. To my knowledge, ice demons are the only ones that worship anything, and we worship the essence of winter. Though I'm not sure if 'worship' is the right word. The essence is like the soul of winter. It is the shrine maiden's duty to protect the essence because it is the lifeline of all ice demons. Should the essence break, it is said that all ice maidens will become snow and melt at the next raise of the sun. It is purely an old folklore, but no one is taking any chances. I used to kneel in front of the essence and ask winter to be kind this year, to still allow the snow pears to grow fruitfully and for the snow blossoms to not be buried. I asked for protection against outsiders that might want mean harm to us. I had never asked for things such as happiness or for someone to like me back. It was baffling for me to understand why humans would ask such things. To ask someone, if this person existed at all, for the little things. Shouldn't they be grateful already that they are alive and well? I doubted that their "kami" would have enough free time to grant all their little wishes one by one such as acing the next big test or passing school. Those should be things they worked hard for themselves instead of praying for the help of someone else.

On the other hand, winter is real. The elders talked about it like a great spirit. It simply is and it does not care for the trivial life of all in its domain. Though they say sometimes if you ask anyway, winter will be lenient. The dances we held each winter solstice was to please the great spirit and perhaps it would not send its wrath upon our people. Maybe it is similar after all.

I knelt there contemplating this until before I knew it, the sun had set. With one last bow, I thanked Inari-kami for his company and the temporary shelter. Just when I was stepping down from the steps of the shrine, rain started falling in little plit plats against the roof. I ducked back into the shrine again, smiling at the Inari statue.

"I guess you want me to stay some more." I smiled softly, and returned to the cushion to kneel.

* * *

Hiei and Yusuke followed after Youko as he scented around the gate and ran off in the direction he had decided. They rounded a corner towards the mountain top.

"It's this way." Youko said, and rounded several more corners, "She's close!"

Suddenly, the first rain drop fell and landed on Hiei's face. He looked up at the clouded sky, "Hurry!" He spurred on Youko, knowing that once it starts raining, her scent will be washed away. They hurried.

As they ran, Youko stopped at a forked road, he tsked, "This one is more frequented, that one is more recent." Hiei decided for him and ran down the recent path. The rain began to come down harder. Youko hurriedly scented and ran, but soon, he stopped just under the mountain.

"I can't smell her anymore." He replied sadly. Hiei looked around desperately. There was a shrine tori that headed up the mountain and houses that littered the abandoned road, situated around the mountain.

"YUKI!" Hiei screamed, looking around, "YUKIHIME!" He cried. There was no answer.

Hiei disappeared up the mountain through the shrine tori gates in search for high ground so that his jagan could be used easier. He landed on top of the shrine roof silently and sat down despite the rain coming down on him from above, soaking him to the bone. He ripped off his bandage and the jagan started glowing. He searched all the streets surrounding the mountain then searched the mountain around the shrine. Even if she was protected from his eye with a barrier, he was using large range sight, not looking for her spirit energy anymore. If she was within eyesights, he should be able to find her. Youko landed next to him and sat, keeping him company.

"Yusuke went back to check on Kuwabara and Yukina." Youko informed. Hiei didn't reply, still concentrating on the search. The rain continued to fall down and Youko had gone back, leaving Hiei alone to his search. He knew Hiei would be here all night.

Hiei desperately combed the streets again and again, combing through the forests, refusing to give up. He _would_ find her. The rain weathered down on him until he was on the last of his spirit energy again. He felt exhaustion eat him up from inside, and soon, it pulled consciousness away from him as he rolled down the side of the shrine with a thud.

* * *

I knelt quietly waiting for the rain to end when I heard a loud thud sound from the side of the shrine. Curious, I peaked out the doors to find the source of the thud. I gasped when I found the same demon that I had rescued earlier this afternoon unconscious again next to a brush.

"Why are you always passed out?" I asked no one in particular, and dragged him into the shrine. He was small, but I was no bigger than he was. I had never practiced the arts of fighting, so I was exceptionally weak for a demon I guess. When I had finally managed to get him under the roof, I stared down at the washed out demon.

I sighed. _This demon owes me big time. _I huffed angrily as I carefully stripped off his tunic and spread it out to dry. His pants were soaked through as well, but I wasn't ready to be _that_ charitable. Looking around, I found some mats that were stored away in a cupboard against the wall of the shrine. Silently thanking whoever had left it here, I took three and returned to the unconscious demon. I used one to wipe him dry and another one for myself. The last I used to cover his already warm body. Closing my eyes, I transferred a bit more spirit energy to him. When I was done, I retreated back to the cushion and knelt again to pray.

* * *

Hiei's eyes shot open. He was lying on his back inside the shrine with a hard mat covering his topless body. Still weak, he turned to see who had saved him and froze.

Kneeling next to him was a girl with a familiar long ice blue hair that trailed to her hips in the uniform of the school he had visited earlier. Her eyes were closed and she smiled softly. He couldn't believe his eyes. There she was, kneeling inside the shrine underneath him the entire time. Right when a tear rolled down his cheek, she turned her ice blue eyes to him and smiled.


	10. Chapter 10: Within the Confines

"You're awake." I said with a smile, but I frowned a bit when I saw the tear and look of utter disbelief on his face.

"Are you okay?" I asked, cocking my head to one side. I reached a hand out to touch his cheek to check his temperature, not wanting to aggravate his third eye. It wasn't feverishly hot like before. He was still frozen.

"My name is Yukihime." I smiled, "An ice demon."

He finally spoke, "Yuki…" His voice held so much emotion and feeling that I was momentarily thrown off.

I recovered quickly, "Um, I guess you can call me that." I laughed, "Oh, I guess you don't remember, but I'm the one that saved you earlier too when you were on top of my school."

The boy silently watched me, as if he were captivated. I continued, "What were you doing there anyway?"

The boy was still quiet, just watching me. I couldn't put a name to the expression that he was making. It was very foreign. Suddenly, I felt something enter my mind unannounced, like a presence had entered my thoughts.

I frowned, "You're reading my mind aren't you? I don't know what kind of demon you are, but among us ice maidens, that's considered rude!"

I rambled on, "Not that we can read minds, but the idea of having my privacy-

I was cut off suddenly by his lips crashing into mine. He pushed me over and I fell back onto the wooden floor of the Inari-shrine as he kissed me like I was his long lost love. Confusion froze me for what seemed like an eternity as his tongue entered my mouth and flicked across my lips, tasting and teasing, even nibbling on it. It felt...strange. It was suddenly very hot.

I pushed him away and crawled back away, my cheeks flushing like the human… 'apple' and my hands flew up to cover my mouth. _What just happened?_

"Um...I don't know who you are, but-

"Hiei" He cut me off, crawling towards me on all fours, staring into my face with that same expression again.

"Hiei! I'm not, um, used to…" I mumbled backing away as he inched closer, "I don't know...what you're-

My back hit the wall and suddenly there was no where for me to run. He leaned into me and I felt his arms encircle me in his very hot body. I froze in his embrace, unsure what was happening, if this was happening at all. His arms tightened and he pressed his body against me until he pulled me away from the wall and onto his lap. I was still frozen in shock.

What he was giving me was a… 'hug'. I've seen people do it at school and I had asked Botan. She had been surprised that I had not known what it was. _It's an act of love. _She had told me warmly with a soft smile. _It's when one person loves another so much that they can't help but want to be as close to each other as possible_.

I had remembered thinking that we never 'hugged' before, Grandma Yue and I. No one ever 'hugged'. But I had remembered wanting to always sleep next to Grandma Yue when I was little. Maybe it was the same concept, but I had grown out of it very early on.

My mind snapped back to the present as this demon that I had met for the...second time today was holding me as if he… 'loved' me. _What is 'love'_? I wondered.

"Yuki...I missed you...so much…" The boy, Hiei, whispered. His hot breath blew against my ear and I shivered involuntarily. I did not know what had come over me, but my body had started relaxing into him. It was suddenly very hot and my body was strangely comfortable even though my mind was jumping miles.

"Hi-Hiei…" I cried, as his hands pulled me in closer. I tried pushing against his chest, but soon found that my arms, my body, didn't want to fight him. I willed them to move, to push him away, but they remained limp and motionless at my sides as he enveloped me in his warm chest. What seemed like an eternity had passed while he simply held me close. I closed my eyes and melted into his embrace, relaxing against him. It just seemed so right to be there.

After a while of blissful content, I felt him recover himself as he slowly pulled away to look into my eyes. I still sat on his lap while our eyes met leveled. I felt his mind reach into me as if looking through me and all that I had seen, all that I had heard and experience them all with me. It was very intrusive, but somehow it felt okay. I felt him shuffle through my memories, especially the ones I had newly created while in the human world and he examined each one preciously as if to memorize it all. I felt him pause when he saw Hiroichi and Mikage fighting over me. Instantly, his body became warmer, as if a flame inside him had suddenly bursted and the remnants of the embers had seeped from his skin. His face changed, contorting to something that Mikage and Hiroichi had both worn while facing against each other..._Jealousy?_

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, Hiei immediately turned away, hiding his face. I reached over and turned him to me again gently. _This man...why am I so attracted to him?_ He suddenly blushed and I realized he was still in my head. I turned away with a huff, avoiding his eyes, but I knew he could still hear everything regardless. _Just who is this man?_

"Hiei." He said again, answering my question before I had even asked. _Must be convenient._ I thought loosely.

"Sometimes." He answered again. I was really going to have to work on keeping my thoughts in check, I glared.

"Would you like it more if I didn't read your mind?" Hiei asked sincerely. It surprised me, that this man who had...kissed me...was suddenly asking if he could read my thoughts or not. It seemed...contradicting.

"I'm sorry for earlier." He apologized, "I couldn't help myself." I felt him pull away from my mind and knew I was alone in my own head again. I let my thoughts wander. I replayed the entire scene in my head again and blushed when my thoughts stopped at the...kiss.

Shaking my head, I turned to Hiei, "Do I...or rather, did I know you?" It seemed obvious that he at least knew me, but I truly could not recall a time I had ever met him before. It can only be the minor memories that Koenma had mentioned, but they were minor, right?

I saw the confliction flit across his face as he struggled to find an answer, "Yes…" He settled plainly, "It's okay if you don't remember."

I frowned, "But you seemed to really...care for me. Did I maybe...care for you too?"

Hiei burned bright crimson, "You said you...loved me."

It was my turn to blush, "Can you tell me what I have forgotten." I asked tentatively, but he only shook his head.

"I think it's best if you...don't remember." Hiei said, brushing my cheek softly. I had not known that men could be so gentle. I closed my eyes as my body enjoyed his touch. I nuzzled my cheek against his hand, and opened my eyes to see the most beautiful smile I had ever laid eyes upon. It was small, but blissful and content. It held the joys of a thousand years of searching come to an end.

I suddenly had the urge to do something I had never done before. Leaning in closer, I pressed my lips tentatively against his, hesitant at first, wondering how he would react. He stiffened for a second and fear pulsated through me. I withdrew immediately, thinking I had done something wrong or overstepped my boundaries, but was stopped with his hand to my chin, turning me back and pulling me closer. His lips came to mine again and this time, he showed me just how much he had been holding back.

He pushed and we fell back onto the wooden floor. His hands kneaded at me gently, caressing my cheeks to my neck and he laid kisses from my lips to my ear and back again down to my nape. One knee was between my legs, holding himself up just enough to avoid touching our lower parts together. He seemed strained as one arm was used to prop himself away from me while the other explored. All the while, his hands never strayed under the loose folds of human 'uniforms'.

I didn't like the distance he held solidly between us, so I reached both hands to the back of his neck and pulled him towards me, wanting to press more of us together. Surprised, his arms buckled and he fell onto me. That was when I first felt the bulge that grew where he had secretly hid from me. Just as soon as it grazed me, his arm lifted him away again. I looked up at him as his mind entered mine again. He looked away with a semi-pout. After awhile, he sighed.

"It's...what makes me a man…" Hiei sighed, knowing exactly just what question was spilling from my tongue.

"No, I am not showing it to you." He said resolutely. I pursed my lips as he untangled himself from me and propped himself against the wall with one knee bent. His mind pulled away again.

"Hiei…" I began, not sure how to ask, "Why does it feel like I've known you for all my life when I don't even remember seeing you?"

He was silent. _Maybe I had asked something I shouldn't?_

He finally answered, "I don't think you lost your memory. When I looked into your mind earlier, it felt more like it's...locked away. It's still there. That might be why it feels like you still know me."

"Then...why is it locked?" I asked, confused.

Hiei smiled reassuringly, sensing my unease, "I know who to ask, but for now, I don't want to think about anyone else except you."

He pulled me to him again, leaning me to his chest. It was hard to believe that I was already this intimate with someone I had only met today, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of contentment whenever I touched him. _Was this...love?_

"Why were you passed out again?" I asked suddenly, remembering our first meetings.

He placed a hand on my head tentatively with an awkward pat, then relaxed into more comfortable stroking, "I was searching for someone."

"For who?" I asked curiously.

"For...you." He blushed again, turning his face towards the ceiling. I chuckled.

"What's so funny?" He pouted defensively.

"Nothing." I smiled, nuzzling my head into his hand while he continued to stroke my hair. Eventually, the rhythmic petting grew slower as I let sleep take ahold of me. The last thing I felt was his head resting on top of mine and his hand moving to hold me closer as we both fell asleep in the comfort of each other.

* * *

Sorry! No hot steamy lemon this time! I promise there will be one later! :)


	11. Chapter 11: Breathlessly

The next morning, I awoke to someone softly stroking my hair in long, comforting pats. Groggily, I greeted the cool sunshine that streaked into the shrine from a lonely window. My eyes traveled up and locked with a pair of beautiful garnet irises. I smiled.

"Good morning." I mumbled with a yawn. He blushed beet red and couldn't face me anymore.

After a pause, he replied in a whisper, "Good morning…" I chuckled. It seems that my new love was a lot braver in the dark.

I took in my surroundings and realized that we had spent the entire night in the Inari-shrine. My book bag still sat abandoned in the corner. Suddenly, I shot up. _School!_

"Oh! I am _so_ late!" I scrambled to my bag, searching desperately for the watch that Botan had left me. The numbers flashed 2:25 PM. I hung my head and heaved a sigh. _Ah..._School ends at 3...I had pretty much missed the entire day. _Fuuma-sensei is so going to be mad…_

"What's wrong?" Hiei asked, alert and worried by my newest outburst.

"I overslept and missed school." I frowned with another sigh.

"School is only a human alibi, you don't need to go." He replied, slightly confused about why I was so concerned with human customs. It wasn't that I was concerned about it...I just enjoyed learning more about the human world. It was so...different from my own, so full of color. Their intricate history and learning what humans value...It was… fun.

I shook my head, "It's...nothing."

"If you want to go, I can take you now." Hiei offered.

I let out a soft laugh, "It ends in 45 minutes."

He stared blankly at me, clearly missing my point, I gave up, "Never mind, it's nothing." I said smiling.

Unsatisfied, I felt him reach into my head again. I was really getting used to this, and I opened my mind to him. He peaked into my memories and heard my thoughts and finally realization lit his face, "I'm sorry, I would have woken you up earlier if I had known…" He down expression was genuinely sincere..._and very cute._ He met my eyes with a blush. _Crap! He heard me!_

"Why do you try to hide your feelings from me?" Hiei asked just so my mind could give him an answer. _Because it's embarrassing…_

"Am I embarrassing to be with?" He asked again. My mind went into a jumble and he silently listened to it all. I turned away with a hmph, pouting again.

His arms were suddenly sliding around me from behind and pulling me back into him. I resisted at first, but soon gave in and leaned back. He was taller than me only by a little, which said just how small I was. His arms that were encircled around my upper arms began to trickle down my waist and massaged my stomach area softly. One hand boldly began its trek back up towards my chest and hesitated, as if giving me a chance to stop him. My lack of rejection was apparently permission enough. His fingers grazed the underwire of my 'bra' that Botan had shopped with me and rose up further to undo the ribbon sash of my uniform. His cold hand slid between my bare chest and the bra, sending shivers down my body. He cupped my breast and softly kneaded them, then moved to flick the hard pink bud that stood alert. A moan escaped from my lips and he turned my head to the side with his free hand, laying kisses from my lips to my ear. He found that one spot just below my ear and bordering my hairline that sends electrifying shocks throughout my body and sucked. His tongue danced over that spot until I was left breathless and my moans echoed within the shrine.

Kissing up to my ear, he nibbled along the soft outer ridge, occasionally flicking his moist tongue over the edges, each time bringing a small scream from my throat. Eventually, it became a game to see how much he could make me cry out. I would resist with all I could, biting down on my lip, covering my mouth to muffle the moans, and he would nibble and suck at whatever he could to bring more of my cries to light.

He explored every inch of my body, but stayed carefully away from the place that burned most, the crevice of every women. He had eventually stripped off the top of my uniform and laid little red marks on sensitive spots on my back. The bra, too, had fallen away at some point, and my pink flower buds were sucked and played with until my back arched and my nails dug into his back.

Finally, he was back to my mouth again, eating away at my moans. His tongue flickered along my lips and played tag with mine. Pulling back to catch breath, he looked down at me and saw the expression on my face. Desire had taken over. My body was scorched and my breath came out in a cloud between us. My eyebrows were knit together in near pain from the absence of his touch. My lips were parted in a soft 'o', anticipating his next exploration. Upon taking it all in, something raw and instinctual crossed his face. He turned away with an almost pained expression and sat back away from me.

I lay there momentarily lost in a wordless need, but managed to find the strength to sit up, "What's wrong?" I whispered, sex still lingering in my voice.

He covered his mouth with a hand while a very bright blush peaked from above his fingers, "I won't be able to...hold back anymore." I reached a hand to his arm and pulled his hand away from his face to reveal the most handsome boy I had ever seen sporting the cutest blush in all three worlds.

"You don't...need to hold back." I urged, leaning my nude body into him. He pulled away, evidently harder than ever.

"If you keep doing that..." He growled, his voice now raspy with need, "I really won't be able to stop…"

I smiled softly, reaching for him again, "I don't want you to stop."

I felt his reserve snap as he immediately fell on top of me like a predator pouncing its prey. He leaned next to my ear and growled, "Don't say I didn't warn you." He bit down on my ear, harder than before, and sucked at that spot again underneath my ear. One hand propped himself up while the other rushed to undo his clothes. My arms circled around his neck, encouraging him to suck harder. A cry left my lips and rocked my body in uncontrollable convulses. His finger finally ventured to my opening and he gently explored the folds, teasing along my swollen lips and grazed a fingertip across that small bump just at the top of my aching slit. My back arched again and another wave of pleasure shook my body right after the previous one had just settled. I screamed my need into his mouth as it crashed down from above. His fingers now worked at the small bump like he had just found something very interesting. He flicked it and pinched at it softly, enjoying the screams that were flying from my lips. Rubbing it, he pressed down on it and extracted another set of cries. I was breathless by the time he stopped and brought something else to my opening.

His enlarged manhood was the length of my hand and about three fingers wide. It rubbed along my moist opening; I felt the soft skin of the tip scorch wherever it touched. "You're so wet…" He growled into my ear. His tip pushed against my opening and I cried out.

"Hiei!" I moaned, pulling at his body, wanting him to hold me closer. He smirked and gave me a smile that only men could give. That smile that said I was his, that I belonged to him in every way.

"Are you sure you want this?" Hiei asked one last time, serious, the smile disappearing. I saw the hesitation on his voice, his fear, afraid that I would come to regret this moment when desire eventually leaves my body. I slowed down to think, chasing away a small corner of my brain so that I could properly think on his offer. I was glad one of us was thinking. _Is this desire? Is this all just lust? Or do I love him?_ I looked up into his pair of garnet red eyes and saw just how much he cared for me. I meant the world to him. I really did. He had searched for me until he was on the brink of death multiple times. He cared for me more than the world. _But did I love him?_

I closed my eyes and asked my heart. How does one know if they love them anyway? How does anyone know? What does love even mean? _What does it mean to love someone?_

Suddenly, I felt Hiei share a part of his memory with me. It was his memory, but it was also a piece of my memory. I was dying in front of Hiei's eyes as I bleed out the last of my blood. Hiei was struggling against the binds, but it was useless. I felt him reach into the me that lay there dying and willed me to stay awake. My voice suddenly echoed in my head.

_I began to want only you…And when I was captured by Kayan, I realized that I didn't want any other man but you. _

_Hiei, I love-_

A tear slid down my face as I felt the pain that tore Hiei's heart in half. I looked up at the man that gave me everything and I cupped his face in my hands.

"I'm sorry I never got to tell you." I whispered as another tear trickled down. Hiei caught it with a fingertip before it fell to the floor.

Softly, I brushed my lips against his, "Hiei, I love you." My eyes rolled up to look at my love, but we were back against the hard wooden planks again with his hands hungrily eating me away. What shred of reserve and sanity he had maintained was strewn to the wind. His semi-moist palm stroked my thigh eagerly while his mouth worked away at my twin mounds. His rough groping sent my head back in a wordless scream and my body quivering. I felt him move and shakily peeled open my eyes enough to see him settle in between my legs again with both hands propping my thighs apart so that I was bare to him. He gazed down at me, his eyes studying every curve of my figure until my cheeks burned for him.

"Please…" I gasped, "Don't look…"

His lips upturned into a soft smirk. "You're mine to look at," he whispered along my skin. I shivered again.

"Don't bully me…" I moaned, while he laced kisses along my inner thigh. I felt him smile against my most intimate part and only had a second's notice before his tongue danced feverishly over that small bump again. He sent my hands reaching for air and upon finding nothing, it dropped back down to the floor, gripping the tiles as if my fingers could go through.

His tongue found its way to my slit and gently but persistently squeezed in. I felt him enter me and just the feeling of his tongue moving around inside of me sent another set of spasms rocking my body, almost dislodging him from me. His hands gripped my hips like a vice, keeping me in place while his tongue went back to work.

When I could no longer find the breath to speak, he finally pulled away from my womanhood and replaced his tongue with something bigger. I let out a small scream of anticipation as his tip shoved its way barely inside of me. My entire body tensed up and Hiei stroked my cheek with the back of his hand, "Relax."

I nodded and tried to do what he said, but excitement, anticipation, need, and just a small twinge of fear made it near impossible for me to relax as he thrusted the rest of his large love rod into me at once. I let out a scream just as his mouth found mine and ate it right when it came out. He kissed me fiercely as my body adjusted to having something so large inside of me. Strangely, there wasn't sharp pain, just a stretching ache.

"Are you okay?" Hiei asked, studying my face as his lower body remained immobile.

I nodded hastily, eager for more. Hiei liked what he saw and buried his lips into my neck as he started to pull out. He slid out slowly, indulging in every inch that he withdrew from my sheathe. Just when his tip was going to fall out completely, he quickly thrusted all of him back in in one violent shove that sent my body rocking with the force of it. Hiei quickened his pace with every thrust, and soon he was pounding my lower body into and seemingly through the wooden flooring. Vaguely, I was aware that I would have one hell of a bruise tomorrow on my tail-bone, but the waves of pure pleasure that crashed through my body washed away the thought like a seashell being carried back to sea.

His mouth was locked onto my neck and he sucked at it impatiently like a parched man getting his first taste of water. The rhythmic meaty slaps of his flesh against mine echoed through the wooden shrine when my screams weren't drowning out everything else.

Suddenly, he pulled out and flipped me non-too-gently onto my knees and pushed my upper body to the floor so that my rosy cheeks were angled up at him. I braced myself as Hiei's large dick drilled into me again and again, each time almost sending me sprawling forward to the ground. His hand found my hips and used it as a handle to pull me back just when he shoves himself back in. I screamed with every thrust as a hot sensation started building up deep inside me. With each shove, it added to the cup until finally, one last thrust sent me brimming over the edge and screaming as my nails raked the ground. My walls constricted against his member and he shoved himself deep inside of me and froze, feeling every inch of me wrapped around him.

"God, you're so tight.." Hiei growled after the spasms slowed to a halt. He pulled himself out and laid me down on my right side and lifted my left leg up onto his shoulders. He entered me from the side and I found his tip pounding that one delicious spot deep inside of me. My screams upped a volume and Hiei shoved harder with a smirk.

Without warning, his rhythm suddenly hastened. He drove himself into me with all his body while his hand clawed against my thigh, using my soaked pussy for all it was worth.

"I'm...cumming." He growled, and with one last shove, I felt his member convulse inside of me and something very hot shoot out. When I had milked all of his juices from him, he collapsed onto the floor behind me and slowly withdrew his fading erection. The only sound left was the huffing of our breaths as our lungs still struggled to take in enough air.

An arm came from behind and Hiei pulled my body into his so that we were spooned together on our sides. He laid a small kiss on my nape and held me tighter. My brain had stopped working long ago and I succumbed to the sleep that pulled me under with a smile.


	12. Chapter 12: The Calm Before the Storm

_Grandma Yue was dragging me up the mountain in the direction of the altar. I was stumbling along to her persistent yanking and noticed that she was burnt on her wrist. "Grandma Yue! You're hurt!" I yelled, but she ignored me. I turned around to find someone, anyone, that would help me convince Grandma Yue to stop and bandage her burn when I saw our village. Everything was in flames. The houses and our temple was engulfed in a puff of smoke as if the fiery pits of hell had opened up under our village. The screams of my sisters echoed through the night as I heard the demons massacre them. _

_Turning in horror, Grandma Yue was no longer the one grabbing my wrist. It was an unfamiliar man with emotionless eyes. His smirk sent chills racing up my spine. "Who are you? Where's Grandma Yue?" I screamed, yanking my hand away, but his grip was too strong. He stepped towards me with a sneer. I gazed into his eyes and suddenly my brain gave a name to the unfamiliar face. Kuuga…_

_He yanked me hard and I fell forward into his grimy hands with a shriek. I struggled to escape his hold, but he only held on tighter with my back pressed against his body. I heard him chuckle into my ear as his disgusting breath blew onto my neck. I screamed, but there was no one there. His hands crept upwards towards my breasts and my body bucked harder, trying to dislodge his hold on me. When one large hand cupped my breasts and I was completely subdued, I screamed, "Hiei!" _

_Hiei was suddenly there in front of me, but he was bound and kneeling on the floor. A large bulky man stood behind him with his sword held against his neck. Kayan…He smirked. My eyes trailed down to Hiei and saw instead the frail figure of Grandma Yue lying motionlessly in the snow. A very red blossom bloomed on her chest. Hiei looked up at me with tearing eyes, "I'm sorry…" And I screamed into the unforgiving night._

* * *

A set of hands was rocking me as I sat up screaming. I was suddenly looking into Hiei's familiar garnet red eyes. I fell into his chest crying while he rubbed my back, "I had a dream that my village was on fire and Grandma Yue was...dead...You were captured by this man named Kayan and...and...Kuuga-

Hiei cut me off with a finger to my lips, "Shhh, it's okay. I'm right here." He hushed. I buried my face in his chest again and noticed that we were still both nude. I jumped away blushing, the dream suddenly strewn aside.

"What's wrong?" Hiei asked, and I felt his mind probe my thoughts again. He smiled at what he heard or saw and leaned in to place a soft peck on my forehead. I blushed redder. He stood up to pull on his pants when he suddenly stiffened, alert. In a blink of an eye, his pants and shoes were on. Still topless, he threw his tunic over my nude body and picked me up, cradling me to his chest. We were suddenly behind a post in the Inari shrine. I blushed and settled into his chest while he peaked out from behind the post.

Footsteps were finally heard to my ears as I also peaked out to see who it was. It was two boys, one with short black hair and sharp slanted eyes. The other had long red hair and emerald green eyes, he was pretty enough to be a girl. For some reason, their faces were very nostalgic. The red haired one walked forward and picked up my strewn clothes. Suddenly, the red hair disappeared and was replaced with a long haired silver fox demon. He took one whiff of the room and my clothes and a small smile settled on his lips. The other boy was still confused, "What's wrong Youko? What do you smell?"

The silver fox demon spoke, "Hiei, stop hiding, I know you're in here." I jumped and Hiei turned to look down at me.

I thought furiously, _He knows who you are! He looks strong too, should we run? _

Hiei smirked, _Don't worry, he's not an enemy. Just a doting fox. _

I relaxed, _Oh, shouldn't we go out to greet them then?_

He gave me a strange look, _Are you sure?_

It was my turn to look confused, _What do you mean? _Suddenly, it dawned on me what I was wearing. I blushed beet red and shook my head furiously. Hiei chuckled silently.

"It's no use hiding it, Hiei. I can smell the sex from outside the shrine." The fox demon said again. The other boy was suddenly blushing.

Hiei gently placed me on the ground and immediately disappeared only to reappear again with all my clothes bundled in his hands. It never seized to amaze me how fast Hiei was. I took them gingerly and blushed again. He smiled and walked out from our hiding spot to greet his friends, leaving me to scurry into my clothes.

"Hiei!" I heard the black haired one cry, "We were so worried when you didn't come back and it turns out you're just having fun with Yuki?!" I could even hear the embarrassment in his voice.

"We heard from Botan what happened." The fox demon said, "It seems you found her before we did though." _They know who Botan is?_

"Hn, of course I'd find her first." He said emotionlessly. I chuckled. _You mean _I _found you?_ When all my clothes were on and the ribbon was tied properly in place, I stepped out from the post to greet Hiei's friends. They all turned to look at me. The black haired one immediately ran towards me and gave me a hug. I stiffened.

"Yuki! We were so worried!" The black haired boy said. Hiei was suddenly there, pulling him away from me.

"What? It's not like I'm going to steal her from you, possessive jerk." The black haired boy muttered. Hiei ignored him and turned to look at me. I gave him a reassuring smile. He replied with a small one.

"Ohhhh is that a smile I see?" The black haired one teased, elbowing Hiei.

I bowed, "My name is Yukihime, nice to meet you." I smiled.

"Her memories are still not back?" The silver fox demon asked worriedly, "I thought maybe seeing Hiei might trigger something."

"Um, did I know you guys?" I asked confused, cocking my head to one side.

The fox demon smiled gently, "Yes, you were one of our comrades." They both smiled softly, almost heartbreakingly so. I felt guilt stab at my chest. _Why can't I remember them?_

"I'm sorry…" I mumbled with downcast eyes.

The black haired boy put an arm around my shoulder, "Don't worry about it! My name is Yusuke! Urameshi Yusuke! This one is Youko. When he's a red head, he's Kurama."

I looked closely at the silver fox with wide eyes, "He's two different people?"

The fox Youko chuckled, "We are two personalities in one body. It's complicated, but that's what we are."

Hiei decided to cut our get-together short, "Where's Botan?" He said with a small glare.

Yusuke dropped his easy-going smile and turned with a frown, "She's back at home waiting."

With one curt nod, Hiei returned his attention to me. His warmth from this morning was already fading. His eyes were as cold as ice. I reached a hand to him, afraid that he would disappear with the breeze, but his hand found mine instead. I realized he was still inside my head when he whispered, _I'm sorry…_ like a breath into my thoughts. I smiled softly.

"Let's go." Hiei said softly, taking my hand in his. Ignoring the teasing giggles from his friends, he lead me out of the Inari-shrine and down the long flight of stairs with my hand securely in his as if he were afraid to lose me again.

* * *

We walked mainly in silence while Yusuke and Kurama chattered on about missions and their hectic lives a few paces in front of us. I heard him muttering insults about Koenma a couple of times and I wondered how he was doing. Quickly though, my attention was back at my hand that currently was very still enveloped in Hiei's warmth. His fingers were entwined between mine and for some reason I was very aware of how his thumb kept rubbing circles into my skin. I peaked at him from the corners of my eyes and saw that he was turned away from me gazing at the battered houses that surrounded us. I trained my eyes to the floor and prayed that he wasn't in my head again.

By the time I realized it, Kurama and Yusuke had come to a stop outside one of the many houses that lined the streets. The houses had gotten newer the more we walked towards the heart of the city, and the one Hiei lead me into was one of the bigger ones. It was one storied, but built very much in the traditional Japanese house style that I picked up from one of the books at the human library. There were large walls surrounding the entire estate and opening the double set of large wooden doors lead to a rock garden on both sides of the walkway towards the main room.

Botan was pacing at the entrance when we walked in. She immediately jumped towards me and gave me a hard squeeze. She wasn't her usual cheerful self. Pulling away, she turned to Hiei and was suddenly bowing on the floor in front of him with her forehead touching the wooden flooring.

"I'm _so_ sorry for lying!" Botan cried at both of us. I turned to Hiei, confused.

"Get up. I need to talk to you." Hiei replied coldly. He turned to me with a small smile and unlaced his fingers from mine.

"I'll be back." Hiei said, still emotionlessly, and walked towards a sliding door with Botan following behind him hanging her head. The door slid shut with a bang and Kurama turned to me.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, leading me down the hall.

"A little." I smiled sheepishly. My stomach chose that moment to make itself heard with a loud growl. I blushed.

Kurama chuckled, "I made dinner." He brought a small tray full of food to one of the dining rooms. I knelt on the little cushion pad as Kurama set the tray in front of me.

Dinner was a bowl of rice with fried mackerel. Miso soup with a few tofu pieces floating on the surface sat in the corner of the tray. Pickled radishes and mashed potato concluded the dinner tray in little bowls on the side. An approving growl from my stomach echoed the empty room and I blushed again while Kurama sat opposite of me smiling.

"You're not going to eat?" I asked, not wanting to start without him.

"No, we ate before going to find Hiei. Hiei might eat later though." Kurama replied. My hand hesitated at the chopsticks.

Kurama laughed, "Don't worry, just eat. Hiei won't mind you starting without him." I blushed again and gingerly brought a piece of mackerel into my mouth. The soft texture with the slightly salted flavor of fish sent me hungering for me. I dug in and found Kurama an exceptional cook.

Hiei walked into the room halfway through sullenly. I stopped my shoveling and turned to Hiei worriedly, "What's wrong?"

Hiei forced a small smile, "Nothing."

"Do you want something to eat?" Kurama asked, standing up to prepare a tray. Hiei nodded. When Kurama left and returned with Hiei's tray and we ate in silence. I thought about all the things that I remembered and the dreams that I've been having. There were so many things that I've forgotten. I wondered why Hiei and the others didn't seem to want me to remember. Maybe it had to do with the two people in my dreams. Kuuga and Kayan… And my burning village… Koenma had said I temporarily couldn't return, but now that I thought about it, he hadn't said exactly what prevented me from returning. I had a sudden urgency to go back and make sure everything was alright, but I reasoned with myself. It was all just a bad dream. There was no way Grandma Yue was...gone. It isn't easy to find our mountain peak, getting to it is even harder. I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

Yusuke lead me to my room and Botan came into to chat with me a little before everyone retired for the night. I curled up in the futon and my thoughts wandered to Hiei. He made my chest ache and I realized that I was lonely without him. I thought about visiting his room next to mine, but reasoned against it. I needed to find out what I had forgotten and the only way to access my memories was within my dreams. At first, the dreams scared me enough that I would stay awake at nights reading human books to pass the time, but now I felt as if I _needed_ to remember. I closed my eyes and let sleep drag me under its hold.

_My village was burning again. The flames were so vivid that it must be a memory. I tried to head towards the village, but someone was holding me back again. I turned to find Grandma Yue. Once again, her small hands were on my wrists, dragging me towards the mountain peak and this time, we arrived at the altar. The snow storm howled around me so loud that I couldn't hear what Grandma Yue was saying. Her lips were moving as she pushed me onto the altar. I struggled to open my mouth, to ask her what she was saying, but no words came from my mouth. I reached out to her, but before I could touch her, she burst into a wash of white snow and rushed towards me, surrounding me in crystal ice. _

_The scenery changed again and I was tied up naked, hanging from a rope on the ceiling. Someone's whip lashed out repeatedly and marked my body in red lines as I screamed, but once again, there was no sound. _

_As if the vision shifted again, my surroundings changed and I was tied up on a bed. Someone was on top of me and I could barely make out a maniacal smirk before I felt something rock my entire body in the familiar rhythm of sex. I tried to concentrate on the sharp image of his laugh to sharpen the rest of the image, but it all seemed to fade away like grasping for air. I was suddenly falling down and down into the hell fires._

With a start, I sat up abruptly. Sweat soaked through the borrowed pajamas I received from Botan. My breath was ragged as the images faded again slowly. I cradled my throbbing head in my hands as I relearned how to breathe. It was then that I finally noticed that someone's hand was on my back. I swiveled to meet the intruder and my eyes met a pair of familiar garnets. I relaxed.

"Hiei." I whispered, my voice breaking. He only pulled me into his chest while stroking my hair.

"You don't need to try so hard." He spoke into my hair. I nudged myself harder into his embrace.

"I'm sorry, I just…" I struggled to find the right words, "I just feel like I _need_ to know what happened. And...I keep having the same dream of my village burning. I feel like I need to go back." Hiei was silent.

I continued, "I know you guys are protecting me from my own memories, but I need to know...What happened?" I tried asking, pulling away to look into Hiei's eyes. He turned away.

"Hiei please!" I asked with more urgency. He still refused to look at me. I touched his face gently, but he still wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Please!" I begged, "I can't live without knowing what happened! I keep having the same dream of Grandma Yue dying and dying and dying over and over again! I can't stand it anymore! My village keeps burning and the same two people keep appearing. Kayan and Kuuga. Who are they?! It's literally driving me crazy so much that I'm afraid to sleep! I'm just-

Hiei cut me off with a kiss and I shoved him away to realize that while I was unraveling, he, too, had come apart. A tear slid from his garnet red eyes, "I'm sorry...I couldn't protect you…" He buried his face in my neck. I was shocked frozen.

He continued his sobbing ramble, "I'm afraid too...I'm afraid of losing you. I finally found you and I'm going to lose you again…"

"I'm not going to go anywhere." I argued.

"You won't be you anymore." Hiei's shoulders shook as he pulled me into his tighter. He held me like I was his last anchor to the world, as if he would drift away if I was no longer there…I could no longer find the words to argue with him. It shattered my heart to see him like this. I could only pull my arms around his trembling figure and hold as much of him as I could.

I swallowed down that need to know. I ate away the urgent curiosity that dragged me into my dreams. I didn't need to know. Not if it costed this much. I held onto the Hiei that I had only met a day ago and realized just how precious he was to me. My body knew him. My heart knew him. My soul recognized him. His existence was engraved so deeply into me that I knew I could throw away my past for him. If it would break him for me to remember. Then I won't remember anymore. I closed my eyes and abandoned my past.

* * *

When the first rays of morning came streaming through the half parted window, I realized that we had fallen asleep in each other's arms. Hiei's limbs were tangled in mine as I carefully dislodged myself from him, trying my best not to wake him. When I had successfully gotten up without alerting Hiei, I turned to look at his sleeping face. It was so peaceful and content that for a second, I almost didn't recognize him. Hiei had always been so cold and aloof, so distanced from everyone. Even the rare moments when he was alone with me, he had been loving and caring, but never vulnerable and peaceful. No, cute was definitely not Hiei. And yet, when I looked down at his sleeping form now, all I could think was how adorable he looked curled up around the blankets.

It was when I saw myself in the mirror while brushing my teeth that I realized yesterday was the only night in a long time since my dreams had been peaceful. The nightmares had not come. I wandered distantly if it was because I had decided to not pursue my past any further. While I was dazing off still groggy from the morning haze, Hiei had wrapped his arms around me from behind, pulling me into his nude form. I blushed, still not used to men, especially not _naked_ men. He rubbed his face in my nape, successfully tangling my ice blue hair even further. I heard him take a deep contented breath in and paused a moment before he released it. He bent over with me as I gurgled the toothpaste foam and wiped my mouth.

"I need to go to school." I smiled at the sleepy Hiei in the mirror.

He groaned into my hair, "You're still going to the human schools?"

"There's nothing better to do, is there?" I smiled, scooting towards the door with Hiei still holding my waist. He finally let me go and I retrieved my uniform from the wash. As I was changing in the bathroom, Hiei's voice rang through the door.

"I'll go with you." He said finally.

"What?" I asked, not sure my ears had picked it up correctly.

"I said I'll go with you." He repeated, "To school."

I peaked my head out the door, "I thought you said it was a worthless human custom."

He looked away, blushing. I smiled, "Okay."

When Hiei had announced to his friends that he would be joining me at school, they had all teased their fair share. Botan had magically retrieved all the documents needed for Hiei's "transfer" into my school much the same way she had faked mine. Before I knew it, I was in the school office handing in his documents while Hiei glared at the gawking students peeking in from the doors.

"It's nice to have you, Yukimura Hiei-kun." Fuuma-sensei greeted. Hiei stared at the teacher and finally nodded. Fuuma-sensei didn't seem to notice or pretended not to.

"Kuon-san, please escort your cousin to class." Fuuma-sensei continued. I bowed and exited with Hiei in tow.

There was an empty seat next to mine where Botan sat before. Hiei sat prickly and ignored the gawking of our fellow students. I could tell he really hated being here. I reached a hand to his arm, "Sorry." He opened his eyes and his eyes softened. He shook his head and went back to being a statue. I sighed and began digging my notebook out of my bag when Hiroichi skipped over to my seat.

"Yukihime-chan!" He grinned, "Where were you yesterday?" Hiei opened an eye at the friendly way the newcomer had greeted me. Hiroichi glanced over at Hiei.

"Hiroichi-san!" I tried to reply with the same energy, "There was a family emergency I had to take care of." I smiled. Hiei turned to me with an unfriendly look. I ignored it.

"Oh, I hope everything's alright." Hiroichi continued, "Anyway, are you free today after school?"

Mikage chose that moment to walk over and cut in, "Kuon-chan. Is he bothering you again?" The two boys glared at each other again. I sighed.

Hiroichi decided to ignore his insult and throw an arm around my shoulder, "Yukihime-chan, who's this?" He motioned with his head at Hiei. By then, I could tell Hiei was nearing his limit. I tried to squirm out of his arm, but Hiei instead grabbed my hand and yanked me away from Hiroichi's hold.

"This is my woman. Don't lay your dirty human hands on her." Hiei pulled me into his embrace possessively. I blushed but didn't push him away. The entire classroom had suddenly gotten very quiet as they all watched the confrontation unfold.

"_Your _woman? Who do you think you are?" Hiroichi said loudly, not quite yelling yet, as he stepped closer to Hiei. His friends stood up from their seats, ready to either back him up or pull him away.

Mikage stepped in between Hiei and Hiroichi, "Kuon-chan, is he your boyfriend?" He asked me, ignoring Hiei. I wasn't sure how to reply. Hiei was supposed to be my cousin, but he had went and called me his woman. I blushed again. _I was _his _woman_.

"Um...he's my cousin." I replied uneasily.

"So he's just a cousin!" Hiroichi glared, "Get away from Yukihime!" He reached over to pull me away, but Hiei moved us both out of reach easily.

Hiei answered coldly, "She's mine. You touch her again and I'll break your arm."

"Why you little shrimp-

Hiroichi was cut off by his friends as they pulled him back away from Hiei, "Stop it, man! We're in class!"

Fuuma-sensei chose that moment to enter the classroom, "What's the ruckus? Get back to your seats!"

Hiroichi shook his friends off and stepped towards Hiei threateningly again. "We'll settle this after school." Hiroichi whispered darkly and returned to his seat.

Mikage stepped up this time, "Stay away from her, _cousin._" He glared, and turned away.

I looked up at Hiei, who still was sporting a death glare, "This is why I detest humans."

"Class, we have a new student." Fuuma-sensei quieted everyone, "Yukimura-kun, why don't you introduce yourself."

I untangled myself from his arms and stood next to him, unsure if I should sit or not. Hiei spoke, "Yukimura Hiei. I am Yukihime's cousin." Hiei sat without another word and I followed suit. The rest of class continued normally. Hiei had resigned himself to gazing out the window while Hiroichi sent him glares every so often. I wasn't sure what to do about Hiroichi and Mikage's persistent courting. I wondered if making it clear to them that I was not interested would help or it would only aggravate the situation more. I didn't understand humans and I didn't understand courting. Their customs confused me. I was starting to see why the ice maidens had closed ourselves off from men.

School ended much too soon. Hiroichi and Mikage had ambushed Hiei and I as we were heading home. Hiei followed without arguing, even though I knew he could easily take us both and disappear. I followed nervously.

"Hiroichi-kun, Mikage-kun, please don't fight! Hiei is important to me!" I stood in front of them before they could do anything.

They ignored me, "Yukihime-chan, don't worry! I'll protect you from him! I won't let him force you to stay with him anymore!" Hiroichi replied gallantly. I was speechless.

Hiei smirked, "Let's get this over with. I don't have as much free time as you humans do." Hiroichi and Mikage had gathered their friends and all of them were holding metal rods. Hiei on the other hand was weaponless. I turned to Hiei nervously, but he brushed me off coldly and pushed me behind him. It was over in seconds. Hiei had hit them all in the back of the neck with lightning quick speed. They groaned as they were all stunned and disoriented from the hit.

Before I could speak, Hiei answered my question, "They'll be fine." And without another word, he headed off back home. I had to run to keep up with him. I had the feeling that he was angry with me.

Reaching for his arm, he moved away out of my reach. I felt hot stinging tears brim my eyes, "Hiei, what's wrong?" He turned on me in rage.

"Do you just let any man touch you?" He asked coldly. I was so shocked by his anger that I was momentarily speechless. By the time I found the sense to answer, he had already turned away and continued down the road.

"Hiei! Wait! Listen!" I ran after him, "I just didn't want to-

I tripped over a crack in the sidewalk and went sprawling. Propping myself back up, I looked around for Hiei and found that he had disappeared. Hot stinging tears scorched my cheeks as they fell like raindrops, each becoming black diamonds as they fell to the ground. My hands and knees were scraped and bleeding. They stung as I limped back home alone, crying because of the pain of a broken heart.

Kurama found me first as I staggered in with tears streaming down my cheeks, leaving a trail of black diamonds, "Yuki! What happened?" He rushed over and helped me to a chair. When he saw that it was just a few scrapes, he relaxed. I still couldn't find the breath to reply.

"Where's Hiei?" He asked, suddenly noticing that Hiei was not with me despite having glued himself to my side for the past few days.

"H-He left." I sobbed almost childlike. Kurama waited until I had calmed down enough to ask me what had happened. I told him the story and he had smiled.

"He's just jealous." Kurama suggested, "He didn't like anyone else touching you."

"What's 'jealous'?" I sniffled.

Kurama contemplated for a moment, "It's a feeling you get when you feel like someone is going to take away someone precious to you." He smiled.

"I don't get it." I frowned. Kurama patted my head.

"It's okay. Don't worry. He'll come back soon." Kurama smiled, and helped me bandage my scrapes.

That night, I was alone again. The night seems to press down on me from all sides and the large bedroom seemed to become even bigger. I huddled into my futon and cried myself to sleep with thoughts of Hiei.

* * *

The next few days passed crawlingly slow. I had decided to not attend school anymore in hopes that Hiei might come back. He didn't. He hadn't come back since the time he left. I tried to kill time reading some of the books that Kurama lent me, but the words didn't seem to settle in my head, as they floated away right after reading them. I couldn't concentrate and a strange sense of restlessness took me. I often visited the Inari-shrine and found myself reliving that unforgettable night with Hiei again and again in my head. Longing...I was longing for Hiei. It was around three week's time when I first started feeling sick.

Demons didn't get sick. We don't catch colds. But I felt a rolling nausea spread from my stomach to my head as if it was rolling my insides left and right. I nibbled at Kurama's food that I normally gulped down. When I finally sipped the miso, I knew I couldn't hold it anymore. I sprinted to the bathroom and heaved whatever I had just eaten into the toilet bowl. My face was burning and some had come out my nose. It stung with stomach acid and I wiped away the tears that brimmed my eyes. Kurama peeked in worriedly.

"Are you okay?" Kurama asked.

"I'm fine." I croaked, but just when I finished my sentence, another wave of bile came rushing out my mouth. When my stomach was completely empty, I leaned against the bathroom wall, resting my face against the cool wood.

By then, everyone was aware that I was sick. Yukina came into the room and knelt down next to me with Kuwabara only a step behind her, "Let me see what's wrong." She smiled, and put her palm to my forehead. I felt her cool spirit energy resonate with mine as she searched my aura.

When she finally retracted her hand from my forehead, everyone had crowded outside the door. Except, well, Hiei. "What's wrong?" Yusuke asked, curiously.

Yukina blushed, "Um, there's nothing really wrong. Rather, it's a good thing."

"Good thing? But she just threw up everywhere!" Kuwabara added in confused.

Yukina continued, "She's...well. She's pregnant." She blushed crimson. The word echoed in my head and I was suddenly very alert.

"I'm what?!" I croaked, my voice raspy with acid bile.

"You're pregnant." Yukina smiled.

* * *

I'm sorry I haven't been updating for awhile! I felt like this really long chapter belonged together since it was mostly uneventful. :) There will be a lot more action to come!


	13. Chapter 13: I Will Protect You

That night, I was finally left alone after they congratulated and checked me inside and out to make sure the baby was fine. Yukina gave her guarantee that the baby was healthy and very, very tiny right now, but the others insisted on me going to a human hospital the next day to straighten out all the details of having a baby.

I sat alone on the bed in the empty room with only a flimsy night gown to shield against the cold breeze that drifted through the window. I couldn't help but touch my flat stomach. Here was a life that Hiei and I created. Here was a tiny Hiei. I couldn't help but smile at the thought. For a small moment, I had forgotten that Hiei was gone, but reality came haunting back. I wasn't sure I could stand him being gone. It clenched my heart and I grasped my chest. With the other hand, I rubbed my tummy and comforted the tiny baby growing in my stomach. _I will protect you. Don't worry. Even if we're all alone in the world, I will protect you. No matter what._

Just when my resolve was made, I felt movement on the bed and looked up to find that Hiei was sitting at the foot. He was watching me silently, and at my stomach that lay exposed to the night's breath. Grabbing a fistful of the blanket, he threw it over my abdomen, "Cover your stomach at least."

In a split second, rage, anger, disappointment, and hurt crossed my mind. _Here was a man who neglected me for almost a month and disappeared without a trace without so much as leaving a note or telling anyone where he had gone. Here was a man who decided to suddenly come back unannounced right when I had finally decided that I didn't need him! Here was a man-_

"I'm sorry." Hiei whispered almost inaudibly, cutting off my trail of thought. _He's sorry. Well at least he's sorry._

"I'm sorry." He repeated, a little bit louder this time. I glared at him with an eyeful of unshed tears.

I raged, "You _irresponsible, arrogant, heartless_ _JERK! _You think you can just _leave_ and then come back when it's _convenient?_ Well _I'm _sorry too because I just can't deal with-

Hiei cut me off with a kiss, his hands pinning my arms behind my back so I couldn't punch him or shove him away. I struggled and tried kicking him, but he had already pinned my thighs with his weight. The only thing I could do was set my teeth hard on his lips. He jerked away suddenly. I yanked my hands away from him with a huff.

"Don't think you can just _kiss_ your way through everything!" I cried, hitting his chest repeatedly. He sat there and took it all silently while he wrapped his arms around me.

"I'm sorry." He whispered against my hair while I shoved at him some more. All the emotions in my jumbled head exploded and I sobbed openly into his chest. He patted my hair like comforting a little kid and pulled me closer to him again, sitting me onto his lap.

When I had finally calmed down enough to speak, I buried my face into his chest, "I really missed you."

Hiei smiled against my forehead, "I didn't miss you."

I shoved him away angrily, "Fine then, go away!"

He pulled me back towards him despite my struggles with a small smirk, "I was always watching you." I froze.

Hiei tucked me in closer and continued, "I was angry. I didn't like them touching you and you seemed fine with it, so I watched you from far away."

"Why didn't you come back?" I cried angrily.

He blushed, "You were...cute. When you missed me, you were...cute." My cheeks started burning.

Angrily, I smacked his chest again, "You're a bully," I blushed, burying my face in his chest again and taking in the scent that is purely Hiei, "Next time, don't leave me alone...If you do, I'm going to leave you and find someone else." I hmphed.

He pulled me away to look at my face seriously, "You're not allowed to. I'll kill them."

I pouted, frowning, "I'm not a child. I can do whatever I want."

"No, you're mine." Hiei yanked me back into his chest with a smile.

"Jerk…" I grumbled under my breath. His chest shook with laughter.

"I'm going to have a baby…" I mumbled into his chest hesitantly, "...Do you want one? A baby…"

He was silent for a moment, "I didn't really have a childhood. I was separated from my mother when I was an infant and left to die. A group of bandits raised me, but even they began to fear me. Truthfully, I don't know anything about the warmth of a family. I watch Yusuke and Kurama with their family and I don't understand it. Before I met you, I've never even thought about the possibility of falling in love, let alone a child."

I listened silently as he shifted his arm so that I could settle against his more comfortably and continued, "But after meeting you, I started to want things. I wanted to be with you. I wanted you to be mine only. I wanted us to be together forever. And even, I wanted us to be a family."

Hiei chuckled to himself almost sarcastically, "Ironic isn't it? I used to think that humans their families and love was all a weakness. I used to laugh at Kurama for ever wanting to sacrifice his life for his human mother. And yet now, I'm doing the same thing." His eyes were squinted and his eyebrows were crinkled. He seemed suddenly so fragile, as if if one touch would shatter him into a million pieces. I reached up to touch his face.

"You don't have to be afraid." I smiled at him gently, "I won't become your weakness. I won't let anyone take away what we have. This isn't a mistake." I stroked his cheeks.

"I couldn't protect you before...Who knows what other dangers there are in the world." Hiei seemed to crack like a dam worn thin by the overhaul of the raging waters. He tightened his arms around me until it almost hurt. His grip on my upper arm was beginning to numb out.

"I'll become strong." I raised up and laid a butterfly kiss on his forehead, "I don't remember what happened before, but I'll become strong so that I can protect you instead."

I pulled Hiei to my chest so that he could cry his fears into my night gown. Here was to the start of a family. I swore as Hiei cut away his childhood fears that I would grow stronger. I swore that before my child leaves my body, I will be strong enough to protect my family. _Baby, you are loved. I will protect you with my life._

* * *

I immediately made my way to Master Genkai under the recommendation of Yusuke and Koenma. I underwent her spartan training each day with Hiei and the others at my side. Day by day, I grew stronger. My hands grew callouses from sword training, and each day I would sleep covered in bruises. I was eventually trained to use my ice powers for combat until I could finally say I mastered it. My spirit energy increased exponentially and by the time I bid farewell to Genkai, my stomach was bulging so much it hindered my training. It was also around then that I first fainted.

I woke up drenched in my own sweat, but my entire body was strangely freezing. I couldn't stop quivering and my lips were starting to turn blue. Hiei laid a hand on my forehead and even his heat seemed to be cool. Yukina rushed into the room with Botan hot at her heels, "Let me see her aura!" Hiei's hands were replaced by Yukina's as I felt her soothingly cool spirit energy enter mine.

"What's wrong with her?" Yusuke asked urgently, crowding the room.

Yukina withdrew her hand, "I don't know what's wrong with her. Her spirit energy seems to be in a mess. It's almost as if her own spirit energy is attacking something."

"What?!" Kuwabara panicked, "Is it because she went through the training?"

"I don't think that's it." Yukina frowned. The entire time, Hiei was silent, but everyone could tell it was taking his all not to start screaming.

"For now, I can try and calm her spirit energy by mixing my own with hers, but it's only temporary." Yukina said, and placed her hands level above my chest. I felt a cool wash of Yukina's spirit energy rush through me. The shivering subsided momentarily. It was suddenly scorching hot.

"Hot…" I moaned, struggling to move away the covers, "It's so hot…"

Yukina pulled back her hands startled, "I don't understand...My spirit energy should make her feel cold."

"Let me try," Kurama cut in, suddenly turning into Youko. His spirit energy flowed into me from my chest and it almost seemed feral, wild.

Kurama was silent while he concentrated on his spirit energy then finally spoke, "It's like she's defending against something…" Suddenly, he stiffened.

"There's fire. There's a fire spirit energy inside her." Youko exclaimed in shock.

"Eh?" Yukina also poured her spirit energy back into me, searching for the flames.

"Could it be…" Yusuke trailed off. Hiei was still frozen. The same thought was gathering in everyone's mind.

"It's her baby! It's a fire demon." Yukina confirmed at last, "The baby's spirit energy seems to be attacking Yuki and her body is defending against it from the inside."

"What the hell do we do?" Yusuke yelled, "At this rate she'll…!"

"How much is it hurting her?" Hiei finally spoke emotionlessly.

Yukina was silent, "It's a good thing she increased her spirit energy. It's defending her body, but she's also very weak. She's almost due; this is when her body is weakest. I don't know how long she can last."

"Can you use your spirit energy to defend against the baby's?" Hiei asked again.

Youko answered instead, "Her body will treat us as an enemy and attack us too. It'll only weaken her further."

"She won't last. Any longer and the baby will burn her from the inside out." Yukina said solemnly.

I reached a hand to Yukina's and squeezed reassuringly. I smiled weakly, "Don't worry. I'll be fine." My hand fell to my bulging stomach and I rubbed it softly, "You little troublemaker. Mommy can't be outdone by you just yet."

Hiei was suddenly there with his sword undrawn. I stared into his hollowed eyes and knew what he wanted to do. "Hiei! You can't!" I yelled, sitting up suddenly to cradle my stomach. Another wave of pain almost washed away my consciousness with it.

"That _thing_ is killing you! How can you expect me to stand by and watch?!" Hiei screamed, "Move your hands. It'll be over in a moment and Yukina will heal you."

"No!" I screamed, crawling away from him, "He won't survive! He can't survive yet! I won't let you!"

Hiei pushed me onto the tatami violently while I scrambled to shield my stomach from his undrawn katana, "Please! I can't lose you again!" Hiei cried, resolve deep in his eyes as tears poured down his cheeks in streams. Everyone was stunned motionless, still unsure what to do.

"Hiei wait…" Yusuke finally stepped in, but Hiei shoved him aside easily.

"I won't lose you again." Hiei resolved, raising his sword. My eyes widened, he really was going to do it. I could see it in his eyes. _No, I can't let this happen! My baby! No! Don't hurt my baby! No! No! No! No!_

"NOOOOOOOO!" I screamed, shielding my stomach as much as I could, putting my back to him while he shoved me down with his foot.

Suddenly, Yukina was there. She spread as much as her little body over mine as she could, glaring up at Hiei, "You can't do this!"

Hiei snarled, "MOVE YUKINA! I can't let that _thing_ kill her!"

"Yukina…" Kuwabara tried to pull her away from me, but she pushed him aside, standing resolutely between us.

"You can't kill him! It's different for a girl! We already love them before they're born! You can't kill him!" Yukina cried.

"Please! Yukina just MOVE!" Hiei screamed, shoving his own sister to the side as hard as he could. He raised his katana again. When he had pushed Yukina, he had also sent me sprawling onto my back again. My hands were too slow. They won't make it in time before he pierces my baby! They won't make it in time!

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Yukina screamed with all her might, grabbing onto Hiei's leg before he could bring down the sword onto my stomach. She had pushed him and the katana came down sinking deep into the tatami floor. My heart stopped.

"Let me try! Please! I'll do anything to keep her alive so please!" Yukina cried. Hiei shoved at her, but she wouldn't let go. Unless he physically harmed her, he would not be able to move her. _Think! Think! Think! There has to be a way! Think of a way to get through this! Run? No, Hiei will catch up immediately. I can't outrun him when I'm like this! Kill myself instead? No, the baby won't survive and Hiei will probably kill it anyway! Think! Think! Think! There has to be a way! Think! Hiei will kill our baby! Hie will- Hina! Hiei's mother! _

"Wait!" I screamed, silencing everyone, "Listen to me!" The world was starting to sway. I scrambled to keep my conscious.

"How did your mother give birth to you?!" I yelled, collapsing onto the floor. Hiei's eyes widened.

"That's it!" Youko cut in, "The cold!"

"What do you mean cold?" Yusuke yelled confused.

"Koorime's spirit energies are stronger in the extreme cold!" Yukina exclaimed with a large smile, "She'll be able to make it!"

Hiei's knee gave out and he fell to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut. He crawled towards me with tears still streaming down his face as he cradled me in his arms. I reached up weakly to cup his face before the tension subsided along with my consciousness.

* * *

When I awoke, Hiei sat next to me in a foreign house. My breath came out in a puff of cloud as I struggled to sit up. Hiei was immediately there, laying me against the wall. I looked out the window and saw snow for as far as the eye could see. It didn't look like my village. "Where are we?" I groaned as sharp pain pierced through my body from my abdomen again.

"Don't worry about it. Just go back to sleep." Hiei smiled sadly. He helped me lay back down flat again and I adjusted to curling on my side, cradling my ginormous stomach. I looked to my love while I was still awake. Dark circles were under both eyes and they were both blood shot. He hunched over himself as if carrying something heavy. I reached my hand out to him and he grabbed it hastily.

"I'm sorry." I croaked, my voice raspy.

"Why are you sorry? If anyone should be sorry, it should be me." Hiei gazed at me. I saw guilt and fear haunting him and realized that I had hurt him again.

"I would've killed him." Hiei cried, "I would've killed him to save you."

"I know." I smiled softly, squeezing his hand tighter.

"How can you still smile like that?" Hiei jerked his hand away, "How can you still smile like you love me and trust me?!"

I struggled to sit up, "Because I do."

"How? I just tried to kill him!" Hiei almost screamed at me.

"To save me." I cradled his face in my hands and brought his lips to mine. It had been so long since we kissed. I had always been aching from training and just when training was over, I was already too big to make love, then this. He closed his eyes and melted into me, around me, as he pulled me gently into him, careful to avoid pressing against my stomach too much. He kissed my forehead and laid kisses on each of my eyes and both cheeks. He kissed my nose and trailed kisses down my chin to my neck where he licked a single wet trail to my collarbone, parting away my night gown and down to my full and swollen breasts. He explored their new size with hands and tongue, sucking on them occasionally. My breath escaped me in another cloud. His touch scorched along my skin and left tingling sensations all over me.

He finally came up to my lips again and nibbled on my lower lip softly before coming away with a sigh, "I love you…"

I smiled, cupping his face in my hands, "I love you too."


	14. Chapter 14: This Time, I Won't Fail

I spent the next day bedridden. Hiei rarely left my side. Kurama would bring in hot soups filled with mysterious herbs that was supposed to be good for the baby. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Yukina dropped by during the evening and was promptly kicked out by Hiei again by the reasoning of not wanting to strain my body. Even Botan and Koenma came by. It had been awhile since I'd seen Koenma. The last time I had met him, he had said the case with his father was still under appeal. He would update me when his father reached a decision on whether I survived or not. I found it slightly unfair, but he _was _King Enma. He came to report that King Enma had been away on another business trip and hadn't had time to deal with my case yet. I'm not sure if it had been good news or bad. For now, the case has once again been put off for later. When Hiei had been ushering them both out, I overhead them talk outside the closed door when they thought they were out of earshots.

"I don't want to alarm you, Hiei, but my father's most likely not going to be so forgiving this time." Koenma warned solemnly. Hiei was silent.

Botan chimed in, "Sir, you're making it out to be so serious!"

"It is serious." Koenma argued, "Hiei, it's an unconfirmed rumor, but my father has apparently picked up a new group of assassins. They're supposedly powerful and ruthless. I don't think he'll turn his attention to Yuki yet, but in the near future, you have to be careful."

"When that time comes, I'll just slit each of their throats." Hiei said darkly, "It's not the first time people have tried to assassinate me."

"It's not _you_ they're going for; you know that." Koenma replied, "Do you really think you can protect Yukihime her entire life? And what about the baby?" Hiei remained silent, thinking over Koenma's new warning.

Koenma continued, "There will come a day when you'll have to choose between the baby and Yukihime. Can you choose one over the other?"

"I will choose Yuki." Hiei replied coldly.

"You say that now, but once you become a father, you'll see things differently." Koenma prophesized.

Botan laughed, "Sir, you sound like you're a father already!"

"It's common knowledge!" Koenma flustered and cleared his throat, "Hiei. You be careful."

"If I've grown weak enough that Koenma has to worry about me, then I am truly pathetic." Hiei scoffed.

Koenma ignored him, "If you ever need help, just come to me. My father might not help you, but I am still the owner of Team Urameshi!" Koenma announced proudly. I heard a small laugh from Hiei.

"Well, we'll see you next time!" Botan chirped. Their footsteps faded into the snow and the doorknob squeaked. I quickly closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. His footsteps approached the bed and I felt his hand graze my cheek. I concentrated on keeping my breathing rhythmic, but suddenly it seemed like a struggle. It seemed the harder I concentrated on timing the breaths, the more irregular the intervals were.

"Yuki?" I heard Hiei whisper. I remained silent and still, pretending to be deep asleep. I prayed that Hiei wasn't in my head right now.

"What do I do?" Hiei's voice was so heartwrenching I almost abandoned my rouse and replied, but I bit back my answer.

"I don't know if I can protect you." Hiei continued, unaware that I was awake, "I can't lose you...not again." I heard a thump as he fell to his knees and buried his face in the blankets next to me. His hand trailed down from my cheeks to my palm and he squeezed. His hand shook in mine and I felt all his fears and worries in each little tremble.

I hadn't known that he had been hiding this much from me. It always seemed as if he was so sure and fearless of everything. His reply to everything had been the same emotionless mask that he wears in front of everyone. Even to me, he would only reveal his true feelings when I was asleep. It hurt in a way, how maybe he couldn't trust me enough to share this side of him. Yet, it felt as if he was struggling. Struggling to hard to hide it from me because he didn't want to worry me. I wanted Hiei to show me that embarrassed smile. I wanted him to blush like the first breath of dawn. I wanted us to be lost to the heat of passion every night and fall asleep without worries of the dangers of tomorrow. I wanted us to have a happily ever after with the baby in my stomach. Was that too much to wish for? Suddenly, the thoughts of the Inari-kami came to mind, and for the first time since I was born into this world, I prayed. _Inari-kami, please, protect our little happiness. Protect Hiei and the baby inside of me...May we be a happy family...together forever…_

That night, I fell asleep with my prayer whispering around us as if Inari-kami was with us.

* * *

I woke up in the middle of night thirsting for water. The darkness was heavy like smoke, almost suffocatingly so. Hiei was asleep on the chair next to the wall. I saw his sleeping profile and smiled silently to myself. I didn't want to wake him up, after all, it had been awhile since Hiei slept so soundly. Most of the nights, he had kept himself awake to wait on me. He must have been exhausted. I rolled to my side slowly and pushed myself and my over swollen belly upright. I was getting really big now, so big that I couldn't sit up straight, much less stand up. For a moment, I thought about waking Hiei up and asking him to get me a cup of water, but I saw the pitcher sitting on the table in the middle of the room and decided against it. I could get myself a cup of water.

Pushing myself up from the bed, my back immediately started to ache from having to lift the weight of my stomach. I steadied myself against the bed and made way slowly to the table. After what seemed like a snail-like struggle, I finally poured myself a cup of water and gulped it down thirstily. Turning to return to the bed, my foot caught on a chair leg and immediately went sprawling forward. The floor approached quickly and my arms were suddenly there from sheer reaction speed to stop the fall. I landed on my hands and knees, stomach safely away from the ground as I breathed a sigh of relief. My knee ached, but I was okay. It was when I started sitting up that I realized something was wrong. Water seemed to pour from between my legs, soaking the maternity night dress. A cold chill ran through me as my mind raced. _My water broke_.

To make matters worse, I suddenly felt a sharp pain deep in my belly. Panic surged through me. _It's not supposed to hurt! Not yet! Labor pains should be contractions towards the bottom! There shouldn't be pain in my belly! It must be when I fell!_

"Hiei!" I croaked, unable to speak loudly from the throbbing pain that was growing ever sharper. He remained motionless.

I tried again, "Hiei!" I cried louder. This time, his eyes finally flickered open groggily. When his mind finally registered that I was on the floor, he immediately flew to my side.

"What's wrong?!" Hiei asked, alert. As if it couldn't get any worse, my body chose that moment to start contracting.

"My water broke." I hissed inaudibly, unable to concentrate on anything but the pain.

"What?" Hiei asked again, leaning in.

"I SAID MY WATER BROKE!" I nearly screamed. Once the first screams started, I couldn't seem to keep quiet anymore. I groaned from the utter pain that was radiating from my abdomen to my back all the way back down again. It seemed like my lower body became one large ball of pain and everything else didn't exist.

Hiei's face was filled with utter panic. If I hadn't been too busy screaming bloody murder, I would have laughed. He flew out the door and woke everyone up, pounding on doors and screaming inaudible words. I could do nothing but curl up into a ball and scream. I knew I had to push, but I was so afraid and so unprepared! I had no idea what to do since Yukina had said I should be due next week. I had stupidly put if off since I was too busy with being weak and immobile. Sweat soaked my entire body from fear and pain. My nails raked the floorboards as Youko was the first to barge in through the doors. He lifted me up gingerly and placed me onto the bed after he threw the blankets aside, stripping it down to a pillow. He got some more and propped them behind me so that I could be in a somewhat sitting position.

Yukina came running in next with two other women that I had never seen before. They were both in kimonos and looked vaguely uniform like Yukina. They were carrying hot water and towels as they began to take charge. All the boys were barred from the room as my hours of pain began.

* * *

Outside, Hiei stood leaning against the door with his arms crossed across his chest. He couldn't seem to stop his finger from drumming on his arm an agitated beat. Yusuke paced outside the door, flattening the snow as it came floating down. Kuwabara was trying to peek through the half drawn curtains when Kurama put a firm hand on his shoulder and shook his head. They both sat back down on the wooden bench outside the one-roomed cabin.

Yukihime's screams started echoing throughout the Hyouga village and Hiei's heart seemed to stop each time her shrieks ripped through the night. It woke the other koorimes as some trudged outside to see what was wrong. They watched the four boys with caution and suspicion despite them having negotiated with them beforehand. "Negotiations" had been Yukina begging them to help Yukihime. The only reason they had allowed her to give birth in their village was because she was their ancestor of sorts. Even when they finally agreed, the women stayed clear of their living quarters. Hiei grimaced at their downcast stares. It brought back unpleasant memories.

When Yukihime let out a particularly loud scream, Kuwabara bit his nail, "Is Yuki going to be alright?"

Kurama responded, "This is normal."

Yusuke shivered, "I'm starting to think I don't want Keiko to have kids…"

"This is how every woman gives birth. I'm sure she's fine." Kurama chuckled, slipping a side glance to Hiei who was still leaning motionlessly against the wall. The only thing that had changed in the past hour was that his finger had stopped drumming, but now his foot was tapping the snow in irregular beats.

Finally, what seemed like an eternity passed before the first cries of a baby broke through the night. The door cracked open and Yukina emerged with a triumphant smile and a small bundle cradled in her arms, "Hiei, would you like to come in?"

His heart stopped as his eyes fell to the unmoving bundle. Stepping through the door, Yukina placed the small bundle in Hiei's useless arms. He fumbled with the baby, not sure how to hold it and settled with both hands under the little arms of a tiny fire demon. Yukina laughed and cradled an imaginary baby, showing Hiei how to hold him properly. Hiei imitated her arms and the baby was looking up at Hiei with the same pair of garnet eyes.

"It's...ugly." Hiei finally said with a small smile. Yukina chuckled.

"He's still wrinkly, but he'll be plump after a while and he won't look like that." Yukina smiled, "He's a boy, you might want to think of a name."

Hiei suddenly snapped his attention from the bundle in his arms to Yukihime. She suddenly whimpered and started screaming again, "Yuki! What's wrong?" Hiei was by her side instantly.

"It...hurts!" Yukihime screamed, her hands raked the bed shoots again, tearing through the thin fabric.

Hiei turned to Yukina, "What's wrong? Shouldn't it be over? Why is she still in pain?!"

Yukihime answered the question instead, "There's...another one!" She moaned as the contractions started again.

Hiei was pushed out the door again with the little bundle still cradled in his arms as the door slammed shut in his face. Yukihime's shrieks tore through the night again as he flinched.

"What's wrong with Yuki?" Yusuke demanded.

"She's having twins…" Hiei whispered in disbelief. He turned back to the little baby. His eyes were open fully and they stared up at Hiei with curiosity. The others gathered around the baby as they coo-ed him and made faces at him.

"He's a little fire demon." Kurama marveled, "What are you going to name him?"

Hiei thought silently, "I'm...not sure. I never asked Yuki…"

"Name him Shrimpy Devil." Kuwabara suggested with a grin, "He's going to turn out just like you."

Hiei flashed him a glare and snorted, "Yes, he will be stronger than you one day."

"He has a really strong fire aura for a newborn. He must have been the little troublemaker then." Kurama grinned, wiggling his finger in front of the baby. The baby seemed to ignore everyone except Hiei. He stared up at his daddy curiously with large widened eyes. Hiei returned the stare. He couldn't help but see himself in the baby. Various names flew through his head but each was rejected. Hiei finally hung his head in defeat, putting off naming the baby until Yuki was well again. For now, the baby will be "Brat".

"Hey, is it alright to have the baby out in the cold?" Kuwabara shivered as a gust of icy wind blew across them. Hiei turned in question to the baby. The baby was wrapped in a thin layer of white towel. He didn't seem to be shivering, rather, Hiei could feel the fire aura around the baby buzzing constantly. He smiled. _There's my Brat_.

"He'll be fine." Hiei said with a small grin. Kuwabara looked doubtful, but he was ignored.

Hiei curiously wriggled a finger on top of Brat's head. Brat watched closely, but didn't move to grab it. He lowered the finger until it poked Brat's forehead. Brat glared up at his daddy. Just when Hiei was going to pull back his finger, Brat reached out with tiny hands and grabbed the finger and subsequently chomping down on it. Hiei flinched and suddenly broke out into laughter.

"This little Brat seems to have an attitude." Hiei smirked. Yusuke grinned at the little baby.

"You're just like your daddy." Yusuke howled in laughter.

Suddenly, the doors flew open again. This time, one of the Koorime that was helping with the delivery was at the door frame with an exhausted frown, "Yukina says to come in."

Hiei's attention was immediately on the Koorime as he passed on the little bundle to Kurama. Kurama cradled it expertly and started playing with the little Brat as Hiei stepped back into the cabin.

Yuki's screams were dying down to moans as consciousness was clearly beginning to slip away. Hiei was instantly by her side as Yukina screamed at her to push and to not give up. Yukina turned to Hiei with desperate cries, "Hiei! There's a complication! The baby isn't as mature as the other one! Yuki says she fell and that must have ripped the placenta from the baby and they're both bleeding too much!" Yukina panicked.

"What?!" Hiei felt a cold chill run up his spine as fear settled in the pit of his stomach. _Ripped placenta…_

"At this rate they'll both…!" Yukina cried desperately.

One of the Koorime put a hand on Yukina's shoulder, "Calm down. You need to pull it together." She turned to Hiei, "You said you were a fire demon?" Hiei nodded quietly, his eyes still a little too wide.

The Koorime sighed, "This might just save them both. The baby's feet is out before the head. We need to cut the baby out instead. We need you to stop the bleeding by searing the lesions shut. Can you do that?" She looked into Hiei's eyes and didn't like what she saw. Her hand flew out and slapped across Hiei's cheek, breaking him from his stupor.

"This is why I told you to calm down." She hissed at Yukina, "If you scare the one person that might be able to save her, he'll be next to useless!"

She turned her cold gaze back to Hiei, "Are you finally listening?"

Hiei glared at her, "Slap me again and I'll cut off your arm."

She smirked, "Welcome back. Now, we need to do it quickly or they'll both die from blood loss. There's no time to explain. I'm going to start!" She announced as she set a scalpel to Yuki's stomach. Hiei couldn't help but turn away despite having killed countless enemies with a sharper knife. He cursed himself and forcefully turned himself back to Yuki, who was already unconscious.

The Koorime skillfully sliced through each layer of skin and successfully extracted the baby who immediately started crying. The other Koorime took the baby and began to bathe it. Yukina set her hands above her stomach and started healing, but it wasn't fast enough to stop the bleeding.

"There! Can you sear that tear?" The Koorime commanded. Hiei obediently set fire to the place she pointed at. The bleeding began to stop as Yukina continued to heal while the Koorime began to stitch close wound.

The other Koorime spoke from the little bucket of hot water, "The baby." Hiei turned to her and saw that she had cleaned away all the blood and knotted the umbilical cord. The baby was in another bundle the same as the Brat's. He took the bundle gingerly in his arms the same way he held the other one. This baby was asleep with eyes solidly closed. It was lighter than the Brat. Something must have shown on his face because the Koorime replied.

"She's smaller than the other one. She should have been born next week. She's an ice demon." The Koorime replied with a small smile.

Hiei looked back down at the little bundle in his arms, "She's a girl…" He trailed off.

"For a Koorime, she is very strong." The Koorime said, "I've helped deliver almost all the babies in the village and she's the strongest one I've ever seen, just like her brother."

"Even though she's premature?" Hiei asked.

The Koorime nodded, "You both must be very strong." Hiei smiled down at the baby girl. He stroked the tiny wrinkled face and realized just how soft and delicate she was. He was suddenly afraid to break her, as if if he held too tight, she would shatter.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Here." The Koorime handed Hiei two red diamonds, each already strung into a necklace, "I've never seen diamonds. We only cry Hiruiseki stones, but her tears become black diamonds. I was afraid that her birth tears would be the same color, but they were red."

Hiei reached a hand carefully to take the two red diamonds while carrying the baby in his other. They were the color of blood, a deep set red, almost like garnets. He hung one around the baby's neck and tucked it into the bundle, shortening the string so that it wouldn't fall. Hiei looked over at Yukihime and saw that she was still being stitched together as she slept with her face wrinkled in pain. She won't be awake for a few hours. He decided to head outside so that the Brat could see his new little sister.

Upon opening the door, he immediately stiffened as the smell of blood stagnated the air. Yusuke and Kurama were both nowhere to be found. Only a trail of already-fading footprints pointed their direction. Kuwabara lay collapsed in the snow with a deep burn wound on his chest. Hiei was immediately next to Kuwabara's side, lifting him up, "Where's the baby?!" Hiei screamed desperately. Kuwabara only moaned, still out of it.

Hiei called into the house, "YUKINA! Come here _now_!"

The door opened again as Yukina emerged, alarmed from the sound of desperation in Hiei's voice, "What's wrong- KUWABARA!" She rushed to his side and immediately started healing him.

Hiei was about to push the sleeping baby into Yukina's arms but stopped. _If the demon is strong enough to defeat Kuwabara, Yukina and the other Koorime won't stand a chance. _Hiei cursed as he wrapped the bundle securely to his chest with a sash he snatched from inside the house so that he could move semi-freely. With his sword at his side, he dashed off after the footprints that disappeared into the night. Hiei prayed that he could find them before the snow covered their tracks. _Hold on you Brat! I'll bring you back! This time, I won't fail!_


	15. Chapter 15: A Choice

Hiei raced through the frozen forest. Ice and snow covered every piece of the land. The trees, rock, and even the air itself seemed to be frozen. Every breath bit into Hiei's lungs as each puff created a cloud that was immediately sliced in half by Hiei's advance. The footprints were disappearing fast as the snowfall became denser. The further he dove down the small trail, the more the snow pushed him back, as if warning him not to pursue any further. Soon, Hiei was forced to shield himself as he forced one leg in front of the other. He looked down at the bundle still tied to his chest and pulled up the wrappings a bit more. Hiei prayed that his own fire aura would be enough to keep her warm.

Suddenly, as if his thoughts had conjured it, the first signs of battle showed itself. Hiei swiped a finger along the charred tree that had been reduced to a pile of ashes. It was still warm. With strength renewed as hope surged through him, Hiei continued even faster down the traces that deviated from the small trail. There was a trail of broken trees and claw marks from Youko. They had most likely caught up to the kidnapper and started attacking them. Hiei prayed that the Brat was safe and huddled his sister closer as he flew through the forest.

Finally, the forest had opened up into a clearing. Youko was collapsed on a carpet of snow, a deep pierce wound opened his chest where he bleed freely. Hiei was immediately at his side. "Youko! Youko!" Hiei shook him gingerly. Youko responded weakly as his eyelids fluttered open.

"Hi-Hiei." Youko groaned, "I'm...sorry."

"What happened?" Hiei asked, trying to hold pressure on the chest wound.

"It's...Kuuga." Youko forced out, each breath now undoubtedly extremely painful. "Yusuke...still...go!" Youko shoved Hiei as hard as he could in the direction that the footprints continued in. He immediately started to dash off, but just as suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks. Hiei contemplated leaving Youko behind. At this rate, he could possibly bleed to death, but if he stayed to take care of Youko, Yusuke would most likely lose to Kuuga. Kuuga hadn't seemed strong at all back when Hiei first saw him, but he _was_ second in command. No, he might have even been stronger than Kayan. To be able to almost instantly kill Youko...no he was definitely the stronger one. Hiei cursed. If he went to help Yusuke, then Youko, Kurama would die. But if he saved Kurama…

Youko shoved him again, "Go! Don't worry about me!" He flinched. The movement had clearly torn at the wound. Hiei couldn't leave his comrade. No matter how often he joked about killing them, and no matter how much they pissed him off, they were important to him.

"I can't leave you…" Hiei whispered as unshed tears clouded his vision, "I can't let you die."

"You idiot! The baby!" Youko growled weakly.

Hiei pushed Youko back down into the snow so as not to agitate the wound further and hissed back, "I know!"

Youko struggled against him, "If you don't go now-

"Just shut up and stop moving!" Hiei gritted his teeth, "I won't be able to save him! But he'll be alive for now! You won't!"

As if all the strength and tension slipped from Youko, he fell back against the snow and raised an arm to cover his eyes. He gritted his teeth and as a gentle trembling compulsed his shoulders to quiver in frustration and anger. Youko cursed himself for being too weak. He cursed himself for not being strong enough to even save the newborn baby of his best friend and the woman he loved. He cursed his pitiful self as he lay broken in the snow while his best friend held close the wound on his chest, choosing Youko over his own child.

* * *

It seemed like ages before Yukina first broke through the cover of the forest. A group of Koorime were behind her with Koenma and Botan at their heels. The Koorime immediately started healing Youko. Hiei fell back down to his haunches, as if the strings of tension had suddenly snapped. He was silent and expressionless as he watched the soft glow of power emanate from the Koorime's hands seemingly knit back together the muscles and deeper organs that had been torn cleanly. The blood flow slowly began to cease and Kurama's creased eyebrows relaxed ever so slightly.

Koenma and Botan had been saying something. Their mouths had been moving, but their voices had seemingly disappeared the moment it left their lips. The only sound that remained was the labored breathing of Youko Kurama and the almost deafening pounding like a drum beat next to his ears. It was rhythmic and only seemed to get louder and louder, faster and faster. When Hiei finally realized it was his own laboring heart, it was almost too late. Sound came back in a deafening roar. Someone was breathing raggedly. It frightened him because it was the sound of someone about to hyperventilate. The thought of Kurama's body going to shock immediately drove Hiei back to his senses. He tried to struggle over to Kurama's side. _Why weren't the Koorime doing anything?! Can't they tell how excruciating it must be?! Why is everyone looking at me like that?! Someone do something! _No words came out of his mouth, but his head gradually became lighter and lighter.

Suddenly, tiny little reaching hands waved in the air and slapped against Hiei's chest over the heart. A cool warmth coursed from the little spot, seeping into skin and towards the rapidly beating heart. The coolness touched it and calmed it, easing it slowly to a slower beat. The haze in his heart was suddenly cleared as Hiei realized that the one hyperventilating was none other than himself, and the one who had brought him out of it was the tiny newborn baby that was still wrapped securely against his chest. Her eyes hadn't opened yet, but as if healing was instinctual, she had already tapped into her birthright.

"Amazing…" One of the Koorime watched in awe, "I have never seen anyone heal this young."

"She will be the greatest healer the world has seen." Another whispered.

"Are you alright now?" Yukina asked with a smile. Hiei managed a nod, his gaze never leaving the little bundle in his chest. His arms came to wrap around the little thing as if it were as fragile as glass. Hiei's expression softened to a smile, something small, but as warm as the summer sun.

"I hate to ask this now, but where is the other baby?" Koenma cut in. Hiei's expression melted away into a stern resolve.

"I didn't go after him." Hiei said, cradling the little baby.

"Why the heavens not?!" Botan exclaimed.

"It was my fault." Kurama croaked, struggling to sit up while the Koorimes were still working on his wounds. They protested and tried to shove him back onto the snow, but he was adamant. They resigned to helping him sit up, then continue healing while some of the new skin began to rip open again.

"Hiei chose to save me. If only I wasn't so weak." He gasped as his breath ripped open another wound. The Koorime only glared at him as the soft glow grew brighter.

"Where's Yusuke?" Koenma looked around.

"He was still fighting Kuuga when he sliced right through me. I couldn't even react. He turned while we were chasing him and instantly took me out." Kurama groaned.

"We have to go after him!" Botan cried.

"Yusuke won't be able to hold him off for long. Kuuga is probably about as strong as all four of us combined." Kurama hissed as he tried to stand.

"You cannot stand, you will lose more blood!" The Koorime growled, holding him down and pushing him back down onto the snow.

"You stay." Hiei said, "I didn't stay so that you can get up and die from blood loss." Hiei's words had struck a nerve and Kurama finally resigned himself back into the snow. The muscles around his jaw clenched in frustration.

Hiei unwrapped the little baby bundle from his chest and slowly eased her into Koenma's arms. "You keep her alive with your life." He warned.

"You know I will." Koenma smiled, cradling the small thing. Hiei took one last glance at the little bundle, now asleep soundly in the arms of Koenma. Pacifier breath may be a coward and use other people as shields, but he knew that Koenma would put the life of the baby over his own. When angered, Koenma was one of the last people in all three realms that Hiei would choose to fight to the death. She would be safe. With that, Hiei disappeared back into the dense cover of the frozen forest.


End file.
